Last Known Activity
William H. Allen, Jr. was born in Bastrop, Texas on July 29, 1923 to William H., Sr., and Elma Allen. Both US Censuses of 1930 and 1940 lists the family as residing in Bastrop.
Allen enlisted at Fort Sam Houston, Texas on February 8, 1942. According to his enlistment records, he had completed 4 years of high school. He was selected for flight duty, and trained as an airborne radio operator. He was then assigned to crew training and deployed with this crew, arriving in England in May, 1944. He flew 10 missions.
On June 12, 1944, he was part of the crew ordered to bomb the airfield at Rosieres/Dunkirk, France. As the formation crossed the French coast, flak batteries began firing. Several shells hit the aircraft, imparting fires, severe damage, and rendering ditching impossible. The pilot turned back over the English Channel and ordered the crew to nail out. All did so.
Mine sweepers working in the Channel were able to rescue but three of the crew. Al others were lost. One of the rescued died later of exposure and shock. TSgt William H. Allen, Jr. is memorialized today on the Walls of the Missing in the Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium.
www.findagrave.com
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US Census 1930
US Census 1940
NARA Enlistment Records
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Comments/Citation
SSgt William H. Allen, Jr. was acting as radio operator on B-17G # 42-97833, named "Miss Lollipop," assigned to the 349th Bomb Squadron.
Missing Air Crew Report 6521 was issued for this loss. Crew rosters and personel files establish the crew as:
2 Lt Edward P. McKeague p
2 Lt Frank A. Ritter c-p
2 Lt Stelios M. Louros nav
TSgt Evan B. Peters togg
Sgt George H. Penman eng/tt gun
SSgt William H.Allen,Jr. r/o
Sgt James L. Swafford btg
SSgt Alfred M. Hudnall lwg
SSgt Robert Gallager rwg
Sgt Joseph S. Pellegrino tail gun
Ranks and grades as of mission date.
Lt Louros and TSgt Peters were replacements for Lt Joseph H. Sievstro and Lt Armand Cardea, respectively.
In the crew photo, Allen is in the front row, at right.
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