Willie Rogers was born near Goldsboro, Wayne County, North Carolina on February 10, 1922. He was the youngest of five children of Joseph R. 'Joe' Rogers (8 Jul 1877 – 20 Jan 1924), who was born at Duplin County, North Carolina; and Daisy (Williams) Rogers Mitchell (10 Aug 1884 – 2 Feb 1961), who was born in North Carolina. His parents married about 1904. His father, a farmer, died of meningitis at Goldsboro, North Carolina in 1924. His mother married his stepfather, Walter Alvin Mitchell (25 Feb 1895 – 29 Oct 1961), at Goldsboro, North Carolina on January 16, 1933. By 1940 the family home was at 208 South Slocumb Street, Goldsboro, North Carolina. His stepfather was a carpenter in the building construction business.
He completed four years of high school and worked as a carpenter. He registered for the draft at Goldsboro, North Carolina on June 30, 1942. He was 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighed 148 pounds, and had hazel eyes and red hair. He was single, without dependents, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Raleigh, North Carolina, on August 27, 1942.
He completed Army Air Forces aerial gunnery training, and was assigned as ball turret gunner on the heavy bomber crew of Lt Raymond F. Jackson. The Jackson crew completed operational training in the States, and was assigned to the 836th Bomb Squadron, 487th Bomb Group, at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England. They arrived at Station 137 by July 24, 1944, and became part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe.
S/Sgt Rogers and six of his crewmates were killed in action on September 30, 1944, when their aircraft, B-17G 43-38037 'Liberty Belle', collided with B-17G 43-38154 'Heavenly Body' after bombs away over Bielefeld, Germany. Apparently B-17G 43-38154 'Heavenly Body', flying in the number 7 position of the Low Squadron, was caught in prop wash turbulence during the descending turn away from the target. This aircraft, piloted by Lt Harold E. Oesch, flipped over on its back and collided with B-17G 43-38037 'Liberty Belle', piloted by Lt Jackson, who was flying in the number 9 position. (Note: This is based on an eyewitness account, and differs from the report in MACR 9422.) 'Liberty Belle' lost its outboard starboard wing, and both ships went down. Two men on Lt Jackson's crew survived. Only the bombardier on Lt Oesch's crew, Lt Zalneraitis, survived.
His remains were returned to the United States and reinterred at Willow Dale Cemetery, Goldsboro, North Carolina in 1949.
B-17G 43-38037 crew:
• Jackson, Raymond F – 1/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Sherrill, Theodore I – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Franke Jr, John H – 2/Lt – Navigator – POW
• Plevak, Edward C – 2/Lt – Bombardier – KIA
• Nelson, Laverne W – S/Sgt – Engineer – KIA
• Michael, George R – S/Sgt – Radio Operator – POW
• Rogers, Willie – S/Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – KIA
• Ballard, Bennie L – Sgt – Waist Gunner – KIA
• Harcq Jr, Benjamin W – S/Sgt – Tail Gunner – KIA
Source of information: Paul M. Webber, www.findagrave.com