William Robert Bowers was the second of ten children born to William Edgar Bowers and Jerusa Edith Grant. He was born 1 July 1918 at home in Knoxville, Tennessee and died on 8 November 1985 in Florida of lung cancer. Uncle Robert had dark hair and brown eyes. He married Julie Mae Weaver first, then Ann Marie Mashburn on 19 December 1945. Records show that he married Ann Marie McCoy on this date. (License #860, Bk. 1, p. 287) On 19 July 2007 Uncle Carl told me that Robert ran the #2 Trolley in Knoxville and that's where he met Ann.
Robert was a Tail Gunner during W.W.II with the 340th Bomb Squadron, 97th Bomb Group, 8th, 12th, and 15th Air Force. The 97th BG was established on 28 January 1942 and activated on 3 February 1942. It moved to England and was with the 8th Air Force between May and July 1942. In November 1942 it moved to the Mediterranean Theater and joined the 12th Air Force. In November 1943, it moved to the 15th Air Force. The 97th BG was inactivated in Italy on 29 October 1945. Uncle Art said Robert flew in a bomber called "Thunderbird", which was named by its crew. (Possibly Robert's "Thunderbird" #41-24437) Robert was wounded by shrapnel two or three times, lost a lung, knocked unconscious, and had to be pulled out of the tail section by his feet. He was stationed in England, then North Africa, then Italy and participated in the invasion of Africa, bombed Germany, and destroyed oil fields in Romania. He ran out of fuel and had to ditch in the desert as well as having two planes shot out from under him. Robert's daughter, Sue, said, "My daddy told us his stories of being in Italy, flying there, I believe he said from Germany on a bombing mission. He said they stayed in Salerno and went to the Isle of Capri. Robert had two brothers, Frank and Melvin, who also served during WWII, another brother, Carl, who served during the Korean War, brother, Arthur, who served in Korea and Germany pulling occupation duty, and a nephew, Jack Bowers, who was in Vietnam.
Two Postal Telegraphs dated 25 May 1943 and 30 September 1943 were sent regarding wounds received on May 5 and September 30, 1943 state the following:
REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR SON STAFF SARGEANT WILLIAM R. BOWERS WAS SLIGHTLY WOUNDED IN ACTION ON MAY FIVE-TWELVE SEPTEMBER IN THE NORTH AFRICAN AREA. REPORTS OF CONDITION EXPECTED EVERY FIFTEEN DAYS. YOU WILL BE ADVISED AS REPORTS ARE RECEIVED. ADJUTANT GENERAL.
(Wounded twice, on May 5th and again on September 12, 1943)
Robert was a Tail Gunner during W.W.II with the 340th Bomb Squadron, 97th Bomb Group, 8th, 12th, and 15th Air Force. The 97th BG was established on 28 January 1942 and activated on 3 February 1942. It moved to England and was with the 8th Air Force between May and July 1942. In November 1942 it moved to the Mediterranean Theater and joined the 12th Air Force. In November 1943, it moved to the 15th Air Force. The 97th BG was inactivated in Italy on 29 October 1945. Uncle Art said Robert flew in a bomber called "Thunderbird", which was named by its crew. (Possibly Robert's "Thunderbird" #41-24437) Robert was wounded by shrapnel two or three times, lost a lung, knocked unconscious, and had to be pulled out of the tail section by his feet. He was stationed in England, then North Africa, then Italy and participated in the invasion of Africa, bombed Germany, and destroyed oil fields in Romania. He ran out of fuel and had to ditch in the desert as well as having two planes shot out from under him. Robert's daughter, Sue, said, "My daddy told us his stories of being in Italy, flying there, I believe he said from Germany on a bombing mission. He said they stayed in Salerno and went to the Isle of Capri. Robert had two brothers, Frank and Melvin, who also served during WWII, another brother, Carl, who served during the Korean War, brother, Arthur, who served in Korea and Germany pulling occupation duty, and a nephew, Jack Bowers, who was in Vietnam.
Two Postal Telegraphs dated 25 May 1943 and 30 September 1943 were sent regarding wounds received on May 5 and September 30, 1943 state the following:
REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR SON STAFF SARGEANT WILLIAM R. BOWERS WAS SLIGHTLY WOUNDED IN ACTION ON MAY FIVE-TWELVE SEPTEMBER IN THE NORTH AFRICAN AREA. REPORTS OF CONDITION EXPECTED EVERY FIFTEEN DAYS. YOU WILL BE ADVISED AS REPORTS ARE RECEIVED. ADJUTANT GENERAL.
(Wounded twice, on May 5th and again on September 12, 1943)
William Robert Bowers was the second of ten children born to William Edgar Bowers and Jerusa Edith Grant. He was born 1 July 1918 at home in Knoxville, Tennessee and died on 8 November 1985 in Florida of lung cancer. Uncle Robert had dark hair and brown eyes. He married Julie Mae Weaver first, then Ann Marie Mashburn on 19 December 1945. Records show that he married Ann Marie McCoy on this date. (License #860, Bk. 1, p. 287) On 19 July 2007 Uncle Carl told me that Robert ran the #2 Trolley in Knoxville and that's where he met Ann.
Robert was a Tail Gunner during W.W.II with the 340th Bomb Squadron, 97th Bomb Group, 8th, 12th, and 15th Air Force. The 97th BG was established on 28 January 1942 and activated on 3 February 1942. It moved to England and was with the 8th Air Force between May and July 1942. In November 1942 it moved to the Mediterranean Theater and joined the 12th Air Force. In November 1943, it moved to the 15th Air Force. The 97th BG was inactivated in Italy on 29 October 1945. Uncle Art said Robert flew in a bomber called "Thunderbird", which was named by its crew. (Possibly Robert's "Thunderbird" #41-24437) Robert was wounded by shrapnel two or three times, lost a lung, knocked unconscious, and had to be pulled out of the tail section by his feet. He was stationed in England, then North Africa, then Italy and participated in the invasion of Africa, bombed Germany, and destroyed oil fields in Romania. He ran out of fuel and had to ditch in the desert as well as having two planes shot out from under him. Robert's daughter, Sue, said, "My daddy told us his stories of being in Italy, flying there, I believe he said from Germany on a bombing mission. He said they stayed in Salerno and went to the Isle of Capri. Robert had two brothers, Frank and Melvin, who also served during WWII, another brother, Carl, who served during the Korean War, brother, Arthur, who served in Korea and Germany pulling occupation duty, and a nephew, Jack Bowers, who was in Vietnam.
Two Postal Telegraphs dated 25 May 1943 and 30 September 1943 were sent regarding wounds received on May 5 and September 30, 1943 state the following:
REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR SON STAFF SARGEANT WILLIAM R. BOWERS WAS SLIGHTLY WOUNDED IN ACTION ON MAY FIVE-TWELVE SEPTEMBER IN THE NORTH AFRICAN AREA. REPORTS OF CONDITION EXPECTED EVERY FIFTEEN DAYS. YOU WILL BE ADVISED AS REPORTS ARE RECEIVED. ADJUTANT GENERAL.
(Wounded twice, on May 5th and again on September 12, 1943)
Robert was a Tail Gunner during W.W.II with the 340th Bomb Squadron, 97th Bomb Group, 8th, 12th, and 15th Air Force. The 97th BG was established on 28 January 1942 and activated on 3 February 1942. It moved to England and was with the 8th Air Force between May and July 1942. In November 1942 it moved to the Mediterranean Theater and joined the 12th Air Force. In November 1943, it moved to the 15th Air Force. The 97th BG was inactivated in Italy on 29 October 1945. Uncle Art said Robert flew in a bomber called "Thunderbird", which was named by its crew. (Possibly Robert's "Thunderbird" #41-24437) Robert was wounded by shrapnel two or three times, lost a lung, knocked unconscious, and had to be pulled out of the tail section by his feet. He was stationed in England, then North Africa, then Italy and participated in the invasion of Africa, bombed Germany, and destroyed oil fields in Romania. He ran out of fuel and had to ditch in the desert as well as having two planes shot out from under him. Robert's daughter, Sue, said, "My daddy told us his stories of being in Italy, flying there, I believe he said from Germany on a bombing mission. He said they stayed in Salerno and went to the Isle of Capri. Robert had two brothers, Frank and Melvin, who also served during WWII, another brother, Carl, who served during the Korean War, brother, Arthur, who served in Korea and Germany pulling occupation duty, and a nephew, Jack Bowers, who was in Vietnam.
Two Postal Telegraphs dated 25 May 1943 and 30 September 1943 were sent regarding wounds received on May 5 and September 30, 1943 state the following:
REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR SON STAFF SARGEANT WILLIAM R. BOWERS WAS SLIGHTLY WOUNDED IN ACTION ON MAY FIVE-TWELVE SEPTEMBER IN THE NORTH AFRICAN AREA. REPORTS OF CONDITION EXPECTED EVERY FIFTEEN DAYS. YOU WILL BE ADVISED AS REPORTS ARE RECEIVED. ADJUTANT GENERAL.
(Wounded twice, on May 5th and again on September 12, 1943)
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