William R. Bold was born on February 15, 1915 in Rhode Island. He resided in Kennebec County, Maine prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on December 19, 1941 in Portland, Maine. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Farm Hand. He had married Marcella Binneweg a few weeks before enlisting. William served as a Technical Sergeant on a B-24, 373rd Bomber Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

William was "Killed In Action" when his B-24 crashed in China during the war. The entire crew of ten airmen died in this crash. He died on September 15, 1943 at the age of 28 and is now buried in the Litchfield Plains Cemetery, Litchfield, Kennebec County, Maine, USA. The American Legion Post No. 181 in Litchfield, Maine was named in his honor.

Bold was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com