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| USAAF 5th AF 8th FG 35th FS  USAAF c1942 |
Pilot 2nd Lt. William S. Gillen, O-667691 (MIA / KIA) Buffalo, NY Crashed July 28, 1943 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Bell in Buffalo, New York. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as P-39 Airacobra serial number unknown. Disassembled and shipped overseas to Australia and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 8th Fighter Group (8th FG), 35th Fighter Squadron (35th FS). No known nickname or nose art. Mission History On July 28, 1943 in the morning took from Port Moresby piloted by 2nd Lt. William S. Gillen on a test hop flight. At roughly 7:15am this Airacobra was observed to crash into the sea off Paga Point and the pilot did not bail out before impact. When this aircraft failed to return it was officially listed as Missing In Action (MIA). Memorials Gillen was officially declared dead the day of the mission. He earned the Air Medal. Because he was lost on a non-combat flight, he did not earn the Purple Heart, posthumously. Gillen is memorialized at Manila American Cemetery on the tablets of the missing. Relatives Mrs. William Stewart Gillen (wife) William S. Gillen, Jr. (son) References NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - William S. Gillen Buffalo Courier Express "Sent Flowers to Baby He Never Will See... Flier's Death Is Kept From Young Mother" September 3, 1943 "Buffalo Pilot Killed In Combat with Japs - William Stewart Gillen, Jr. four days old and his mother, Mrs. William Stewart Gillen, have been getting flowers every day from their father and husband, Lieut. Bill Gillen, a fighter pilot who saw the toughest sort of action in the South Pacific. But Lieut. Gillen was killed July 28th [1943] in action against the Japs. Away back in February, when Lieut. Bill got his orders and was preparing to move out, he also was preparing to become a father. He went to the Hughes florist shop in Delaware Avenue and placed an order, paying in advance. Had Names Chosen - His baby would arrive sometime in late July or August, he told Proprietor James Patton. He didn't care whether it was a girl or a boy. He and his wife had names chosen for either eventuality. If a boy, it would be named Michael. Patricia, if it were a girl. When Mrs. Gillen went to Millard Fillmore Hospital last week, she didn't know about her husband's death, although the rest of the family did. It was thought best to keep it from her until after the baby was born." Buffalo Courier Express "Flowers Are Memorial To Lost Pilot's Thoughtfulness" September 6, 1943 "Gay flowers, delivered daily on orders placed by her thoughtful husband before he went away to fight the Japs and never return, brighten the room of Mrs. William Stewart Gillen and her four-day-old son, William, Jr. at Millard Fillmore Hospital. Back in February [1942] when Lieut. Gillen, a fighter pilot, received orders for combat duty, he went to Hodges florist shop in Delaware Avenue and arranged to have the blooms placed in his wife's room while she was in the hospital. Then he went away and was killed July 28th in action against the Japs in the Southwest Pacific area, a little more than a month before his son was born." American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) - William S. Gillen FindAGrave - 2Lt William S Gillen (photo, tablets of the missing photo) Attack and Conquer: The 8th Fighter Group in World War II (1995) page 312 Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated
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 P-39  MIA 1 Missing |
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