William Fay Davis was born on 9 Aug 1922 in Marion county, WV. The birth record for 1922 is not yet online, but his birth is recorded in Marion county births, Book 5 page 55, line 1.
He was my uncle, and I was named after him. "Billy" was killed in a B25 bomber plane crash at Hanscom Field, MA in 1944.
Billy's mother, Willa Maxine Davis, died in late February, 1944. Billy had graduated from his B25 advanced flight training course in Florida, and was slated to catch a ship to England to join a B25 unit there. He travelled back to Marion county to attend his mother's funeral, and thus missed departing with his squadron mates. He was placed in "casual status" to await the departure of the next round of pilots and aircrew to depart for England. To maintain his flying proficiency, he was scheduled to fly a night training sortie with a senior pilot and crew chief. Right after takeoff, the bomber lost power in both engines and crashed off the end of the runway. No survivors. A promising young man cut down in his prime. I would love to have known him.
He was my uncle, and I was named after him. "Billy" was killed in a B25 bomber plane crash at Hanscom Field, MA in 1944.
Billy's mother, Willa Maxine Davis, died in late February, 1944. Billy had graduated from his B25 advanced flight training course in Florida, and was slated to catch a ship to England to join a B25 unit there. He travelled back to Marion county to attend his mother's funeral, and thus missed departing with his squadron mates. He was placed in "casual status" to await the departure of the next round of pilots and aircrew to depart for England. To maintain his flying proficiency, he was scheduled to fly a night training sortie with a senior pilot and crew chief. Right after takeoff, the bomber lost power in both engines and crashed off the end of the runway. No survivors. A promising young man cut down in his prime. I would love to have known him.
William Fay Davis was born on 9 Aug 1922 in Marion county, WV. The birth record for 1922 is not yet online, but his birth is recorded in Marion county births, Book 5 page 55, line 1.
He was my uncle, and I was named after him. "Billy" was killed in a B25 bomber plane crash at Hanscom Field, MA in 1944.
Billy's mother, Willa Maxine Davis, died in late February, 1944. Billy had graduated from his B25 advanced flight training course in Florida, and was slated to catch a ship to England to join a B25 unit there. He travelled back to Marion county to attend his mother's funeral, and thus missed departing with his squadron mates. He was placed in "casual status" to await the departure of the next round of pilots and aircrew to depart for England. To maintain his flying proficiency, he was scheduled to fly a night training sortie with a senior pilot and crew chief. Right after takeoff, the bomber lost power in both engines and crashed off the end of the runway. No survivors. A promising young man cut down in his prime. I would love to have known him.
He was my uncle, and I was named after him. "Billy" was killed in a B25 bomber plane crash at Hanscom Field, MA in 1944.
Billy's mother, Willa Maxine Davis, died in late February, 1944. Billy had graduated from his B25 advanced flight training course in Florida, and was slated to catch a ship to England to join a B25 unit there. He travelled back to Marion county to attend his mother's funeral, and thus missed departing with his squadron mates. He was placed in "casual status" to await the departure of the next round of pilots and aircrew to depart for England. To maintain his flying proficiency, he was scheduled to fly a night training sortie with a senior pilot and crew chief. Right after takeoff, the bomber lost power in both engines and crashed off the end of the runway. No survivors. A promising young man cut down in his prime. I would love to have known him.
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