William T. Williams
Rank: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Serial: O-795544
Unit: 447th Bomb Squadron, 321st Bomb Group, Medium
Entered service from: New Jersey
Died:
Buried at: Plot D, Row 4, Grave 33, Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, Nettuno, Italy
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 9 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart
Biography
First Lieutenant William T. Williams of Gloucester City.
First Lieutenant William T. Williams was born in New Jersey in 1919. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry J. Williams of 903 Somerset Street, Gloucester City, New Jersey. A graduate of Gloucester Catholic High School, he helped his father in the family plumbing business before the war.
William T. Williams enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps on January 23, 1942, at Trenton, New Jersey. He won his wings and received his commission at Moody Field in Valdosta, Georgia, in January of 1943—the first resident of Gloucester City to qualify for flight duty. Flying B-25 Mitchell bombers with the 447th Bomb Squadron, 321st Bomb Group, Medium, he flew numerous missions. One mission against German forces in Athens, Greece, earned the 447th Bomb Squadron a Distinguished Unit Citation.
The 447th Bomb Squadron moved from an airfield at Grottaglie, Italy, to one at Amendola, Italy, around November 25, 1943. On his 53rd mission, the B-25 he was flying went down, killing him. He was 25 years old and had been previously recommended for promotion to Captain. He was survived by his parents; his fiancée, Miss Jean Lacy of Woodbury, New Jersey; and four brothers all serving in the Armed Forces.
Lieutenant Williams was first reported missing in action in the January 14, 1944 edition of the Camden Courier-Post. His death was confirmed and reported in the Courier on August 21, 1944.
Gloucester Flier Missing; Plans for Wedding Dropped
Camden Courier-Post —
Lieut. William T. Williams, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Williams, 903 Somerset street, Gloucester, a bomber pilot, is reported missing in Sicily. He was engaged to be married to Joan Lacy, 37 North Girard street, Woodbury, on a leave he expected after completing 50 missions.
A letter dated Nov. 30 informed Lieut. Williams’ family he had been granted the leave and was at a port of embarkation waiting to leave for home. A subsequent letter to Miss Lacy explained the leave had been cancelled because completion of 50 missions “is no longer considered a tour of combat duty.” Williams said he had been told he would fly indefinitely with a leave no longer expected at that time.
Miss Lacy revealed the wedding plans then were postponed until the pilot could come home, but when word was received he is missing in action the plans were dropped. Miss Lacy said she and Williams have been friends more than four years. Her fiancé was with the first group to participate in the bombing of Sicily. He was graduated from Gloucester Catholic High school.
Lieutenant Williams assisted his father in the plumbing business before he enlisted. His father now is employed at the New York Shipyard.
Miss Lacy is the daughter of Mrs. Charles K. Lacy. She attended Woodbury High school. Williams has a brother, Harry, an instructor in the Air Forces at Yuma, Ariz., and two other brothers who are aviation cadets in the Navy, completing the final phase of their training in Texas.
Family of 14 Picked for Good Will Fete
Camden Courier-Post —
The Williams family of Gloucester City — father, mother and 12 children, with four sons in the service in the flying division — are on the program of the Community Good Will Service in the Gloucester City High school auditorium Sunday at 2:30 p. m.
Sons in the service are Lieut. Harry J. Williams Jr., 26, in the Army Air Force in Texas, who entered the service in January, 1941; John F. Williams, 23, who is a Navy cadet for the flying service at Rodd Field, Texas; Robert Williams, 20, a Marine flying cadet at Cuddihy Field, Texas; and Lieut. William T. Williams, 25, in the Army Air Corps. He was a pilot of a B-25 plane and was reported missing in action over Italy Dec. 29. Since then his family has heard nothing about him.
It’s an all out family for the service. Dad Williams, who was engaged in the heating business in Gloucester with his sons helping him before we got into the war, now works at the New York Shipyard, backing up his sons and others’ sons who are engaged on the many battle fronts.
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