Willard Arthur Green was born in Emporia, September 22, 1923, to Ira Robert Green and Sarah Etta Bailey Green. He attended Emporia schools and was graduated from the Senior High in 1939. He was member of the Free Methodist church. He was inducted into the Army from Emporia on December 27, 1942. He had been overseas since April 1, 1943.. He worked for the Ritz Cleaning shop here and at the Boeing aircraft plant in Wichita before entering the service.
William served in the served in the 836th Bomber Squadron, 487th Bomber Group, Heavy as a Staff Sergeant during World War II. By August 1944 the 487th Bomb Group transitioned to flying the B-17 'Flying Fortress'; and by September 1944 S/Sgt Green was assigned as tail gunner on the heavy bomber crew of Lt Harold E. Oesch in the 836th Bomb Squadron.
On September 30, 1944, the 487th Bomb Group took off from Lavenham Airfield to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Bielefeld, Germany. The Oesch crew flew B-17G 43-38154 'Heavenly Body' on this mission. S/Sgt Graves and seven of his crewmates were killed in action when their aircraft collided with another aircraft just after bombs away over Bielefeld. Apparently Lt Oesch, flying in the number 7 position of the Low Squadron, was caught in prop wash turbulence during the descending turn away from the target. His aircraft flipped over on its back and collided with B-17G 43-38037 'Liberty Belle', piloted by Lt Raymond F. Jackson, who was flying in the number 9 position. (Note: This is based on an eyewitness account, and differs from the report in MACR 9423.) 'Liberty Belle' lost its outboard starboard wing, and both ships went down. Lt Zalneraitis, bombardier on the Oesch crew, was able to parachute safely and survived as a prisoner of war. Seven members of the Jackson crew were killed; two survived.
After the war his remains were reinterred at Maplewood Memorial Lawn Cemetery, Emporia, Lyon County, Kansas, USA.
B-17G 43-38154 crew:
• Oesch, Harold E – 1/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Furr, Wilburn E – 2/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Miller Jr, Henry J – 1/Lt – Navigator – KIA
• Zalneraitis, Vitold A – 1/Lt – Bombardier – POW
• Volavka, Melo – T/Sgt – Engineer – KIA
• Stanley, Martin E – T/Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA
• Graves, Hudie E – S/Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – KIA
• Green, Willard A – S/Sgt – Tail Gunner – KIA
• Focht, William J – S/Sgt – Waist Gunner – KIA
Source of information: www.findagrave.com