ORIGINAL 100TH CREW #A-2 PILOT. WENT OVERSEAS IN AC #42-5861 (STUD
DUCK) WITH THE FOLLOWING ON BOARD:
| MAJ WILLIAM W. VEAL |
PILOT: X-FERED TO WING 1943 |
| CAPT ALBERT C.
PERSONS |
PILOT: CPT |
| M/SGT RALPH RICHARDS |
LINE CHIEF |
| M/SGT ELWOOD E. PARK |
FLIGHT CHIEF |
| T/SGT QUE E. BOOTH |
ARMAMENT |
| T/SGT ELMER MOST |
BOMB SIGHT MAINT |
| 1ST LT ALFRED A. FAHLSTEDT |
BOMBARDIER: CPT |
| M/SGT MARVIN WILLIAMS |
GROUP S-3 |
| CPL JOHN J.
KOVACS |
RADIO: KIA 6 MAR
44 BERLIN |
WILLIAM VEAL REMAINED IN THE SERVICE AND RETIRED WITH THE RANK OF MAJOR
GENERAL IN 1975, ONE OF THE FIVE 100TH MEMBERS TO ATTAIN FLAG RANK.
MAJ WILLIAM VEAL FLEW WITH THE SAMMY BARR CREW ON THE REGENSBURG
MISSION IN "TORCHY II" 42-30170 XR-G
MISSIONS FOR MAJ WILLIAM VEAL (COURTESY OF PAUL ANDREWS):
|
Nbr |
Date |
Target |
Aircraft |
Crew |
|
1. |
29/6/43 |
LEMANS |
A/C 42-5861-LADEN MAIDEN |
LT BARNHILL CREW |
|
2. |
4/7/43 |
LAPALLICE |
A/C 42-30305-FLAK SHACK |
LT BARNHILL CREW |
|
3. |
14/7/43 |
LE BOURGET |
A/C 42-30305-FLAK SHACK |
LT BARNHILL & COL HARDING |
|
4. |
12/8/43 |
WESSLING-BONN |
A/C 42-30170-TORCHY II |
SAMMY BARR CREW |
|
5. |
15/8/43 |
MERVILLE |
A/C 42-30170-TORCHY II |
SAMMY BARR CREW |
|
6. |
17/8/43 |
REGENSBURG |
A/C 42-30170-TORCHY II |
SAMMY BARR CREW |
|
7. |
3/9/43 |
PARIS |
A/C 42-30259-DAMIFINO II |
SAMMY BARR CREW |
|
8. |
26/9/43 |
PARIS |
A/C 42-30487-TORCHY III |
SAMMY BARR CREW |
Major General William Veal:
Major General William Veal entered active military service
in Feb 1940 and was commissioned a second Lt in October of 1940. During
World War II he was the 100th Bomb Group (H), 349th BS Commanding Officer
with the rank of Major. Arriving with the Original cadre until October of
1943 when he was transferred along with Capt Robert Kaiser to 13th Combat
Wing HQ at Horham. He participated in the campaigns of Normandy, Air
Offensive Europe, Rome-Arno, Southern France and Northern France.
Major Gen. William W. Veal's decorations include: Legion
of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with OLC,
Bronze Star, Air Medal with OLC, Air Force Commendation Medal,
Presidential Unit Citation, Distinguished Unit Citation, French Croix de
Guerre with Palm, French Legion of Honor.Obituary by Michael Faley
(2 Feb 2006):
Major General William Veal, one of the five 100th BG members to
attain flag rank, entered active military service in Feb 1940 and was
commissioned a second Lt. in October of 1940. During World War II he was
the 100th Bomb Group (H), 349th BS Commanding Officer with the rank of
Major. Arriving with the Original cadre until October of 1943 when he
was transferred to 13th Combat Wing HQ along with Capt. Bob Kaiser. He
participated in the campaigns of Normandy, Air Offensive Europe, Rome-Arno,
Southern France and Northern France.
Those are the facts, but they are only part of the Man. William Veal,
was the heart and soul of the 349th BS. He brought them to England as an
eager bunch of boys, inexperienced in combat, and turned them into
battle hardened veterans. The sobering loss of three 349th BS crews on
the Groups first mission added more weight to his job of command but
never deterred Maj. Veal from leading by example. One such example was
the Aug 17, 1943 mission to Regensburg, Maj. Veal led the High Squadron
with the Barr Crew and was recommended for the Distinguished Service
Cross by Lt. Col. Beirne Lay Jr. The recommendation reads:
"Major William Veal, leader of the high squadron, for heroic and
skillful leadership of his squadron. Just before turning in to the
bombing run, a cannon shell hit his #3 engine, setting it on fire, and
oxygen failure occurred. Instead of turning toward the safety of the
Swiss border, approximately 65 miles distant, Major Veal feathered his
#3 prop, a sure tip-off to the fighters in the vicinity, in order to
regain position in the formation. He successfully bombed the target,
extinguished the engine fire, crossed the Alps and several hundred miles
of Mediterranean and reached base in North Africa, all on three
engines."
Bill Veal's leadership molded the 349th into a squadron that produced
such future leaders as Little Sammy Barr, Sumner Reeder, Big Joe
Armanini, Cowboy Roane, Henry Henington, and Jack Justice. Maj. Gen.
William Veal left us on December 9, 2005, and with his passing, we lost
one of our truly unsung heroes.
Michael P. Faley
100th Bomb Group Historian
100th Bomb Group Photo Archives
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