World War II Honoree

William F. Washburn

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Hinsdale, Illinois

Honored By

Jerry Penry

RANK: 2ND LIEUTENANT. SERVED AS B-17G ‘FLYING FORTRESS’ BOMBER PILOT, WHO WAS ASSIGNED TO THE SIOUX CITY, IOWA ARMY AIR FIELD. HE DIED SEPTEMBER 8, 1944 WHEN HIS BOMBER SUFFERED A MID-AIR COLLISION WITH A P-47 FIGHTER THREE MILES NORTHEAST OF BRUNING, NEBRASKA ARMY AIR FIELD. THE FIGHTER PILOT WAS SIMULATING AN AERIAL GUNNERY ATTACK ON A FORMATION OF B-17’S, WHEN HE MISCALCULATED THE DISTANCE OF HIS TARGET BEFORE BREAKING-OFF FROM THE ATTACK AND COLLIDED WITH ONE OF THE BOMBERS. AFTER IMPACT, THE FIGHTER SPIRALED OUT OF CONTROL AND DOVE INTO THE GROUND, FATALLY INJURING THE PILOT, WHO WAS ASSIGNED TO BRUNING FIELD. THE BOMBER DISINTEGRATED AFTER THE COLLISION WITH FOUR CREWMEMBERS PARACHUTING TO SAFETY AND SIX WERE FATALLY INJURED.