William Earl Leatherwood was born on February 22, 1921, in Canton, Haywood County, North Carolina. He was the son of James Thomas Leatherwood Sr. and Martha Lavonia "Mattie" Byers Leatherwood. He enlisted in the service on October 21, 1942. He served in the 565th Bomber Squadron, 389th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Gunner of B-24 #44-10513 nicknamed "Old Glory'' during World War II.

On November 21, 1944, the ''Old Glory'', piloted by Lt. Rhine, was flying in the No. 4 position of the lead squadron at about 13,000 feet while assembling with other Eighth Air Force bombers over England near RAF Hethel, where aircraft were tightly circling in a “buncher” pattern to form a combat box before heading toward enemy territory; during this hazardous phase, it collided mid-air with another B-24, 42-50452 (Earthquake McGoon), as both aircraft were turning in the same direction and converging while focusing on formation spacing, resulting in a catastrophic impact that sent 44-10513 into a violent, uncontrollable spin before crashing near Carleton Rode, England, destroying both bombers and killing 17 airmen in total, including most of the crew of Old Glory, while only two crew managed to bail out in time.

SSgt Leatherwood is now buried in the Green Hill Cemetery, Waynesville, Haywood County, North Carolina, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.b24-kingsize.com