William Edward Flickner was born on June 29, 1920, in Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio. He served in the 703rd Bomber Squadron, 445th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Nose Turret Gunner of B-24 #42-51342 nicknamed 'Frigid Bridget' during World War II.

On September 27, 1944, “Frigid Brigit” departed RAF Tibenham, England, as part of a mission to bomb targets in the Kassel, Germany area. During the operation, the 445th Bomb Group became separated from the main bomber stream and was heavily attacked by German fighter aircraft. Exposed to intense interception and combat, Frigid Brigit was shot down over central Germany during the fierce aerial battle that caused devastating losses to the group that day. The destruction of the aircraft was recorded in its Missing Air Crew Report and forms part of the 445th Bomb Group’s catastrophic Kassel mission, one of the most costly single-day losses suffered by a U.S. heavy bomb group in the European air war.

2Lt Flickner survived the crash but died in Germany after being shot while attempting to escape, following his capture during the sinking of his aircraft. He is now buried in the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial, Saint-Avold, Département de la Moselle, Lorraine, France. He also has a cenotaph in the Dunlo United Methodist Cemetery, Dunlo, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.445bg.org, www.honorstates.org