William J. Schulz was born at Cheektowaga, Erie County, New York on May 11, 1925. He was one of fifteen children of Joseph Casper Schulz (13 Oct 1883 – 1957), who was born in Michigan; and Gertrude B. Schulz (13 Mar 1887 – Oct 1977), who was born in New York. His parents married about 1907, and lived in the Buffalo, New York area all their lives. He had a twin brother, Willard J. Schulz (11 May 1925 – 2 Oct 2006). The family home was at 51 Pine Ridge Terrace, Cheektowaga, New York. In 1920 his father worked as an electrician. In 1940 his father was a Bureau Clerk for the Division of Buildings.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army, and completed Army Air Forces radio operator and aerial gunnery training. He was then assigned to the heavy bomber crew of Lt Leon R. Milner. The Milner crew completed B-17 operational training in the States, and was assigned to the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group at Army Air Forces Station 137 near the village of Lavenham, Suffolk, England. The Milner crew arrived at Station 137 by February 7, 1945, and became part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe.

On the evening of April 3, 1945, S/Sgt Schulz was killed due to the accidental discharge of a pistol in an 836th Bomb Squadron Nissen hut (his quarters). He is buried at Cambridge American Cemetery near Madingley, England.

Of note, the crew of Lt Leon R. Milner was shot down by flak over Hof, Germany on April 8, 1945, with the loss of five men: 1/Lt Leon R. Milner (pilot), 1/Lt Tony O. Bamberg (air leader), 2/Lt Edward H. Sherman (navigator), 2/Lt Elmer J. Schramm (bombardier), and F/O Clement E. Swan (copilot—officer tail gunner). Four men survived and became prisoners of war: 1/Lt Stanley J. Wechsler (radar operator), S/Sgt Irving Bellow (engineer), T/Sgt John A. Jackson (radio operator), and S/Sgt Bobby J. Bullion (waist gunner).

Source of information: Paul M. Webber, www.findagrave.com