William Henry Mills Jr. was born on March 19, 1918, in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas. He was the son of William Henry Mills and Florence Batchelor Mills. He served in the 343rd Bomber Squadron, 98th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Co-Pilot of B-24 #42-64483 during World War II.
On February 22, 1944, during the Allied air offensive known as Big Week, a B-24H #42-64483 was flying a combat bombing mission against the Messerschmitt aircraft factory at Regensburg, Germany. Only minutes before reaching the target, the bomber encountered intense German defenses and was struck by heavy anti-aircraft flak while also being attacked by numerous enemy fighter aircraft. The Liberator sustained severe damage, caught fire, and shortly afterward exploded in mid-air, crashing near Bukovec. The crash killed ten members of the crew, with only one surviving.
2Lt Mills was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Grove Hill Memorial Park, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas, USA.
Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.aviation-safety.net
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Mills William Henry, Jr.
Name:
William Henry, Jr. Mills
Rank:
Second Lieutenant
Serial Number:
Unit:
343rd Bomber Squadron, 98th Bomber Group
Date of Death:
1944-02-22
State:
Texas
Cemetery:
Grove Hill Memorial Park, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas, USA
Plot:
Magnolia Garden Lot 160
Row:
Grave:
Decoration:
Comments: