William Harold Jameson was born on July 4, 1923, in Anderson, Anderson County, South Carolina. He was the son of Lynn Otto Jameson and Idona Garrison Jameson. He was married to Martha Virginia Smith Jameson. He served in the 32nd Bomber Squadron, 301st Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Tail Gunner of B‑17F‑30‑DL #42‑3157 nicknamed “Laura” during World War II.

On July 26, 1944, the aircraft was shot down during a bombing mission targeting a factory in Wiener-Neudorf, Austria. Due to heavy cloud cover, the mission became disorganized, and although a recall order was issued, the crew of "Laura" did not receive it. The bomber formation was then attacked by approximately 50 German fighters. As the trailing aircraft, "Laura" was singled out and sustained heavy damage, eventually entering a steep dive and exploding in mid-air. Of the ten crew members on board, five were killed, while the remaining five survived by parachuting out and were subsequently taken as prisoners of war.

SSgt Jameson was captured and spent nine months as a prisoner of war in Germany before being liberated. After the war, he worked for Plantation Pipeline and later managed The Colony House Restaurant in Charleston, helping to establish BJ’s Iron Kettle and Poogan’s Porch. He attended Clemson University and was active in several organizations, including the Charleston Rifle Club, Elks Lodge #242, and American Legion Post #147. A member of First Baptist Church of Charleston, he was also a Mason, part of the Scottish Rite and Omar Shrine.

Jameson died on November 23, 2013, and is now buried in the Carolina Memorial Park, North Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina, USA.

Source of information: b17flyingfortress.de, www.32ndbombsquadron.org, www.findagrave.com