William H. Koenig was born on March 14, 1922, in Mishawaka, St. Joseph County, Indiana. He was the son of Franklin Henry Koenig and Margaret G. Goodhew Koenig. He served in the 702nd Bomber Squadron, 445th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Co-Pilot of B-24 #42-50321 nicknamed ''Fort Worth Maid'' during World War II.

On September 27, 1944, “Fort Worth Maid” was lost during the disastrous Kassel mission over Germany. The aircraft departed RAF Tibbenham as part of a formation sent to bomb the Henschel armored vehicle works at Kassel, but navigation difficulties caused the 445th Bomb Group to become separated from the main bomber stream and its fighter escort. After releasing their bombs and turning for home, the isolated formation was heavily attacked by large numbers of German fighters, primarily Fw-190s and Bf-109s, over the Werra Valley. The intense and coordinated assaults devastated the unescorted bombers, and Fort Worth Maid was shot down over Germany along with many others from its group.

2Lt Koenig was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial, Saint-Avold, Département de la Moselle, Lorraine, France.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.rafb24.com, weremember.abmc.gov