World War II Honoree

William H. Mooney

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Washington, District Of Columbia

Honored By

John Meurs

Relationship

Dutch Historian

SERVICE NUMBER 01995888. SERVED AS A NAVIGATOR WITH THE 491ST BOMB GROUP, 854TH BOMB SQUADRON OF THE 8TH U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES BASED IN ENGLAND. ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 26, 1944, HIS BOMBER, THE B-24 'GREASE BALL' SERIAL NUMBER 44-40172, WHILE ON A MISSION TO THE SYNTHETIC FUEL PLANT IN MISBURG, GERMANY WAS ATTACKED BY GERMAN FIGHTERS JUST AFTER BOMBING. ONLY THREE CREW MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE HONOREE, SAVED THEMSELVES BY PARACHUTE. THE SEVEN OTHERS WERE KILLED DURING THE ATTACK OR IN THE EXPLOSION OF THEIR AIRCRAFT. THEIR BOMBER CRASHED NEAR DANKERSEN IN GERMANY.