World War II Honoree

William R. Snow

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Stony Brook, New York

Honored By

Ann E. Snow

Relationship

Wife

Joined U.S. Army Air Force and after additional training was crewed up on B-24 aircraft. Served with 55th Wing, 15th Army Air Force, 465th Bomb Group, 782nd Bomb Squadron. Based in Italy. Crew survived the loss of 3 B-24 aircraft. Crew made an emergency landing on the island VIS, a 2,220 foot runway emergency fighter strip in the Adriatic Sea. Baled out over Yugoslavia and was spirited out to the coast by Marshall Tito's partisans through hostile territory. Lastly, baled out over Linz, Austria territory controlled by SS. Spent a day in Mauthausen Concentration Camp against a wall awaiting his fate. Waffen SS entered the compound and claimed them as Prisoners of war to go to Markt-Pongau 18C, near Berchasgaten. Was held for exchange of SS officers. Freed by General Patton.