World War II Honoree
Killed In Action
William O. Ballou
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Durango, Colorado
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
Rank: Sergeant. Inducted into the United States Army Air Corps May 2, 1944 at Fort Douglas, Utah. Following the completion of basic military training, he was selected to attend the Flight Aviation Training Program. He served as a Waist Gunner aboard a B-17 ‘Flying-Fortress’ Bomber, assigned to the 335th Bomber Squadron, 95th Bomber Group and an element of the U.S. 8th Air Force ‘Mighty Eighth’ Army Air Forces. His unit was based at the Horham Royal Air Force Station Location: Horham, England. Friday, April 6, 1945 he was killed in action, during a bombing mission to Leipzig, Germany. His aircraft was shot down by German anti-aircraft ground flak fire, crashing in the Sonian Forest near Brussels, Belgium. Personnel from a Graves Registration Company buried him at the Neuville-en-Condroz Battlefield Cemetery, Liege, Belgium. In the post-war era, this Airman’s family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at the Ardennes American Cemetery Location: Neupre (Neuville-en-Condroz), Belgium. This American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Air Medal and the Purple Heart. The Air Medal was awarded to the Sergeant for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight, and the Purple Heart for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.