World War II Honoree

William H. Hatter

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Ashland, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Jim & John Hammond;Blaine, Kristin, Joanna Hatter

Relationship

Friends, Son & Daughters

1ST LIEUTENANT B-24 CO-PILOT AND PILOT. 18 MISSIONS IN THE HAMMOND CREW OVER GERMANY 8TH AIR FORCE FROM DECEMBER 3, 1943 TO MARCH 6, 1944 WITH THE 392ND BOMB GROUP, 579TH SQUADRON WENDLING AIR BASE 118, ENGLAND. TRANSFERRED TO 15TH AIR FORCE ITALY, 449TH BOMB GROUP, 718TH SQUADRON AT GROTTAGLIE, ITALY MARCH 8, 1944 TO AUGUST 3, 1944. HE FLEW 22 MISSIONS AS CO-PILOT AND 10 MISSIONS AS A PILOT, 50 MISSIONS TOTAL. HATTER HAD TRAINED WITH THE HAMMOND CREW ON B-24 AIRCRAFT AT GOWEN FIELD, IDAHO (29TH BOMB GROUP, 52ND SQUADRON) AND POCATELLO, IDAHO (382ND BOMB GROUP, 539TH SQUADRON) FROM APRIL 1943 TO SEPTEMBER 1943, ARRIVING IN ENGLAND OCTOBER 1943. ORIGINALLY DESTINED FOR B-29 AIRPLANES IN THE 29TH BOMB GROUP. THIS CREW WAS DIVERTED TO B-24 AND ASSIGNED TO 8TH AIR FORCE, ENGLAND DUE TO THE ATTRITION IN CREWS THERE. HATTER FLEW THE 8TH AIR FORCE FEBRUARY 1944, MISSIONS KNOWN AS BIG WEEK, THE PURPOSE OF WHICH WAS TO DEGRADE THE GERMAN LUFTWAFFE PRIOR TO D-DAY. HE FLEW ALL THE MARCH 1944, MISSIONS TO BERLIN. HE WAS AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH ONE BRONZE SERVICE STAR, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, WWII SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL. HIS 8TH AIR FORCE, 392ND BOMB GROUP, WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION FOR BOMBING ACCURACY AND TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THE GERMAN MESSERSCHMIDT AIRCRAFT FACTORY AT GOTHA, GERMANY ON FEBRUARY 24, 1944. HIS 449TH BOMB GROUP. RECEIVED A DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION ON APRIL 4, 1944 WHEN THE GROUP, FLYING WITHOUT ESCORT, RAIDED MARSHALLING YARDS IN BUCHAREST; ALTHOUGH HEAVILY OUTNUMBERED BY GERMAN FIGHTERS, THE GROUP SUCCEEDED NOT ONLY IN BOMBING THE TARGET BUT ALSO IN DESTROYING MANY OF THE ENEMY INTERCEPTORS. WHILE HE WAS FLYING WITH THE 449TH BOMB GROUP IT RECEIVED ANOTHER DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION FOR ACTION ON JULY 9, 1944 WHEN THE GROUP FLEW THROUGH HEAVY SMOKE AND INTENSE ENEMY FIRE TO ATTACK AN OIL REFINERY AT PLOESTI. RETURNING TO THE U.S., HE FLEW C-54 TRANSPORT PLANES OUT OF HAMILTON FIELD, CALIFORNIA UNTIL NOVEMBER 3, 1945.