William Shirley “Bill” Tune was born on November 27, 1919, in Carbon Hill, Walker County, Alabama. He was the son of Tillman L. Tune and Beulah C. Cummings. He was married to Frances Beggs Tune. He volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1942 while completing his degree at Berry College. After earning his wings as a bomber pilot, he served in the 20th Bombardment Squadron, 2nd Bomber Group, as a First Lieutenant and Pilot of B-17G #42-97159 nicknamed “Tail End Charlie” during World War II. He commanded the 20th Bomber Squadron during Mission 263.

On August 29, 1944, the 15th Air Force launched Mission 263, a major raid against the Moravská Ostrava industrial complex in German-occupied Czechoslovakia. Flying from Amendola Air Base in Foggia, Italy, the 2nd Bomb Group took part in what became known as the Air Battle over the White Carpathians. During the attack, the formation was ambushed by nearly 90 German fighters, resulting in one of the group’s worst losses of the war. Within twenty minutes, eight of the nine B-17s from the 20th Bomb Squadron were shot down, crashing across Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. One of these aircraft was B-17G “Tail End Charlie” (42-97159), flying in the rear position of the formation where attacks were heaviest. After sustaining severe damage, the bomber fell from formation and crashed near Bojkovice or in the Přečkovice Woods in the Zlín region of Moravia. Two crewmen were killed, six were captured, and two evaded capture.

1Lt Tune was captured and held at Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang, Prussia, until his liberation in May 1945. After the war, Tune earned a B.S. in Architecture from Auburn University and co-founded the architectural firm Barr and Tune, designing many public buildings, churches, and hospitals across Alabama, including Athens-Limestone Hospital and Flowers Hall at the University of North Alabama. He served for over a decade on the Alabama Board for Registration of Architects and remained active at the First United Methodist Church of Florence. He died on October 30, 2008, and is now buried in the Florence Cemetery, Florence, Lauderdale County, Alabama, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, b17flyingfortress.de