This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SSgt Robert Bruce McClelland, Jr.
to remember
Bryan, William Elmer, Jr., Maj Gen USAF(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Flint, Michigan
Last Address Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Date of Passing Apr 06, 2008
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
During WWII, he destroyed 7.5 enemy aircraft in aerial combat plus 1 damaged and 2 destroyed on the ground.
A glitch in the system shows his Air Medals incorrectly. His correct total is 24.
The President of the United States of America, under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Major William E. Bryan, Jr., United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as Pilot with the 12th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, 19th Fighter Bomb Group, FIFTH Air Force, in action against enemy forces in the Republic of Korea during the period 1 through 21 February 1951. Displaying superb leadership, dauntless courage, and exceptional aeronautical skill, Major Bryan led his squadron of F-51 fighter aircraft on attacks against enemy transportation facilities and materiel. With total disregard for his personal safety, and ignoring the perils of enemy anti-aircraft, automatic weapons, and small-arms fire, Major Bryan repeatedly flew over hazardous mountain terrain at low speed and minimum altitude in search of camouflaged enemy vehicles and supplies. During this period, Major Bryan personally succeeded in detecting 82 vehicles which had been cleverly camouflaged by the enemy. Before destroying those targets, he led his flight in low level passes over the areas pointing out the camouflage techniques, and completely disregarded the damage frequently inflicted upon his own aircraft by enemy fire. As a direct result of this valuable instruction in camouflage detection, Major Bryan's squadron was able to locate 466 enemy vehicles of which 389 were totally destroyed and the remainder severely damaged.
General Orders: General Headquarters Far East Command: General Orders No. 103 (May 1, 1951)
WWII - European Theater of Operations/Central Europe Campaign (1945)
From Month/Year
March / 1945
To Month/Year
May / 1945
Description On March 22, 1945, the U.S. Third Army established a second salient, in addition to the one at Remagen, across the Rhine River at Oppenheim, 288 miles southwest of Berlin. The next day its troops also crossed the river at Boppard, 40 miles northwest of Oppenheim. Farther north, British and Canadian forces went across near Wesel, 65 miles northwest of Bonn. Ninth Air Force and Royal Air Force troop carriers and gliders dropped an American and a British airborne division north of Wesel on March 24, while the U.S. Ninth Army crossed the river 10 miles southeast of Wesel. The next day the U.S. First Army began an advance into Germany from Remagen, just south of Bonn, and on March 26 the Seventh Army crossed the Rhine River north of Mannheim, about 25 miles south of Oppenheim. Five days later, on March 31, French troops crossed the Rhine 10 miles south of Mannheim.
Before the Allied armies began crossing the Rhine in force, Allied air forces bombed and strafed German positions in the contested areas along the river. Heavy bombers also flew battlefield interdiction missions between March 21 and 24, before returning to strategic bombardment missions against targets in Germany. Although little of strategic value remained because of the destruction wrought by the
combined bomber offensive, oil refineries and fuel depots remained primary targets.
The Luftwaffe could no longer effectively oppose the heavy bombers nor could it provide close air support for retreating German troops.
When fuel was available, the enemy continued to intercept Allied bomber formations with a few fighter aircraft. On the battle front, AAF fighter-bombers flew close air support and tactical reconnaissance missions for Allied forces, while medium bombers attacked bridges, trucks, troop concentrations, railroads, and airfields. Troop carrier and transport aircraft flew critically needed supplies to forward airfields that had been rebuilt by aviation engineers behind the advancing Allied armies. After delivering supplies, the pilots loaded wounded soldiers and liberated prisoners of war and returned them to the rear areas. The last mission of the AAF's heavy bombers in Europe involved flying supplies to the starving population in The Netherlands.
