World War II Honoree

William Stanley Allen

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Hawthorne, California

Honored By

Billie Allen Cummings

Relationship

Daughter

Technical Sergeant. Served in the US Air Force as an engineer and aerial gunner in a B-26, Marauder, medium bomber squadron during WWII. He completed 65-70 missions. On D-Day he supported troops in Normandy and had targets in Calais. He counted 152 flack holes in his airplane after returning from a mission over Cherbourg, France. He was in the 3704 Army Air Force Base Unit and served from October 1941 until July 1945. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for saving his aircraft and crew by dislodging an armed bomb that was stuck and didn't drop from the bomb bay while returning to base. In addition he received the European Campaign Medal with 2 bronze stars and air medal with 12 oak leaf clusters.