Name:
William Dian
Rank:
Second Lieutenant
Serial Number:
O-531401
Unit:
366th Fighter Squadron, 358th Fighter Group
Date of Death:
1944-08-18
State:
Illinois
Cemetery:
Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-Sur-Mer, France
Plot:
F
Row:
21
Grave:
27
Decoration:
Air Medal with 14 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart
Comments:
William Dian was born in 1922 in Cook County, Illinois. He served in the 366th Fighter Squadron, 358th Fighter Group, as a First Lieutenant and Pilot of the P-47D #42-27242 during World War II.
On August 18, 1944, 1Lt Dian took off from airfield Station A-28 in Pontorson, France, for an armed reconnaissance mission. At around 9:00 PM, his airplane with two 26-pound cluster bombs was shot down by flak and crashed into the town of Gasny, France. 1Lt Dian was killed in this incident. He is now buried in the Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-Sur-Mer, France.
Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov, francecrashes39-45.net