Wells William Edwin, III

Name:

William Edwin, III Wells

Rank:

First Lieutenant

Serial Number:

Unit:

600th Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomber Group, Heavy

Date of Death:

1945-04-08

State:

West Virginia

Cemetery:

Riverview Cemetery, East Liverpool, Columbiana County, Ohio, USA

Plot:

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Comments:

William Edwin Wells III was born on September 15, 1917, in Newell, Hancock County, West Virginia. He was the son of William Edwin Wells Jr. and Grace Golding Wells. He served in the 600th Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a First Lieutenant and Pilot of B-17 #44-83276 during World War II.

On April 8, 1945, during a bombing mission targeting Derben, Germany, B-17 #44-83276 was struck by anti-aircraft flak. The explosions damaged engines #1 and #2, and the fuselage broke in half. The aircraft crashed near Krusemark, close to Plauen, Germany. Tragically, nine of the crew members were killed in action and only one survived.

1Lt Wells was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Riverview Cemetery, East Liverpool, Columbiana County, Ohio, USA. William E. Well's name is inscribed on the Anstey Window Memorial in Panel 2 (center), on Butterfly 10, in the top right wing (section B).

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