William E. Fanning Jr. was born on June 11, 1923, in New York. He was the son of William E. Fanning and Esther M. Urell Fanning. He served in the 525th Bomb Squadron, 379th Bomber Group, as a Sergeant and Radio Operator of B-17 43-38178 nicknamed 'Seattle Sue' during World War II.

On April 25, 1945, during a bombing mission over Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, two B-17 Flying Fortresses from the 379th Bomb Group—Seattle Sue (serial number 43-38178) and The Thumper (serial number 43-38272)—were tragically involved in a mid-air collision. Seattle Sue reportedly sustained damage to its left engine area or waist section, leading to losing control. While maneuvering, it struck The Thumper, causing catastrophic damage—particularly to The Thumper's tail, which was nearly torn off. Several crew members were killed in the collision, while others survived by parachuting to safety—some were captured and became prisoners of war, while the rest eventually returned to duty.

Sgt Fanning was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Fort Scott National Cemetery, Fort Scott, Bourbon County, Kansas, USA.

Source of information: b17flyingfortress.de/, www.americanairmuseum.com