William Herbert Thomas was born in Ambridge, Pennsylvania. He served in the 715th Bomber Squadron, 448th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Co-Pilot on the B-24 #42-7754 "Harmful Lil' Armful" during World War II.

On December 31, 1943, his crew took off from Station 146 airfield in Seething, England, on a bombing mission to Cognac, France. At around 12:00H, their plane was shot down by a German fighter setting the plane's cabin and engine #3 on fire. The crew evacuated the airplane at 18,000 feet. Their plane crashed near Lesparre-Médoc, France. As a result of this incident, four crew members were taken as prisoners, two members evaded the capture, and two casualties, who were believed to have been killed by the Germans. 2Lt Thomas was one of the POWs. He was sent to Stalag Luft 1 in Barth-Vogelsang, Germany.

Source of information: francecrashes39-45.net