William L. Cervantes was born in 1917 in Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York. He served in the 375th Bomber Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, Heavy as a Corporal. William was a crew member aboard B-24D Liberator #41-24238 "The Bad Penny." which departed in Chabua, India on April 1, 1943 for a flight to Chengkung, China. A little over an hour into the flight the pilot radioed they were experiencing icing on the wings, and returning to Chabua. The bomber never reached base. It had crashed with five crew aboard and they were declared Missing In Action. The airplane was never located and the crew declared dead on December 13, 1945. William's name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines.

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

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov