World War II Honoree

Paul Irving Williams

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Norman, Oklahoma

Honored By

Sam E. Pennartz

Assigned to the 5th Air Force, 43rd Bombardment Group (H), 64th Bomb Squadron in the Solomon Islands. On 21 May 1943, he flew as the Pilot aboard a Boeing B-17E Flying Fortress, serial #41-9244. It was on a mission to bombard Vunakanau Airfield located southwest of Rabaul township on the island of New Britain in the country of Papua New Guinea. At the bomb-run initial point over the Warangoi River, his B-17 bomber sustained 20mm cannon fire to the #3 and #4 engines from a twin-engine Nakajima J1N1-S Gekko fighter (allied code name: Irving). Within seconds, the #1 and #2 engines were hit and the on board bombs ignited. Initially reported as missing in action, then listed as killed in action.