Vanderlick William John

Name:

William John Vanderlick

Rank:

First Lieutenant

Serial Number:

O-650640

Unit:

603rd Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group

Date of Death:

1944-10-15

State:

Minnesota

Cemetery:

Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA

Plot:

Section C-1

Row:

Grave:

Site 7537

Decoration:

Purple Heart

Comments:

William John “Bill” Vanderlick was born on February 15, 1921, in Minnesota. He was the son of Alfred William "Fred" Vanderlick and Margery Harriet "Marge" Cook Vanderlick. He enlisted in the service on July 31, 1942. He served in the 603rd Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a First Lieutenant and Navigator of B-17 #42-97746 during World War II.

On October 15, 1944, the aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from RAF Nuthampstead (Station 131) in Hertfordshire, England. The aircraft was en route to a bombing mission over Cologne, Germany. Tragically, the plane crashed into the moat at Anstey, Hertfordshire, and exploded, resulting in the deaths of all ten crew members on board.

1Lt Vanderlick was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA. William J. Vanderlick's name is inscribed on the Anstey Window Memorial in Panel 1 (left), on Butterfly 4, in the top left wing (section A).

Source of information: www.americanairmuseum.com, www.398th.org