William C. Meadville
Service ID: 6048993.
Entered the service from Pennsylvania.
Rank: Aviation Chief Ordnanceman, U.S. Navy
Unit: Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal – Mobile Explosives Investigation Unit One, Navy 134; United States Naval Reserve
Date of Death: 01 October 1944, killed when the plane he was on crashed somewhere between Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea (now part of Indonesia) and Finschafen Airfield, Territory of New Guinea (now Papua, New Guinea). He was officially declared dead on 02 October 1945, one year and one day after he went missing.
Status: Missing in Action
Memorialized: Manila American Cemetery – Tablets of the Missing – United States Navy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William's father, Cecil Blair Meadville, died on 28 November 1919, of toxic nephritis as a result of first and second degree burns, "when a quantity of kerosene exploded at his home." He was just 25, and William was not yet two years old, when he died.
1920 United States Federal Census (07 January 1920): Bellwood Borough, Blair County, Pennsylvania (sheet 1B, family 17) – William Meadville (1 11/12 Pennsylvania).
1930 United States Federal Census (10 April 1930): Herndon Borough, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania (sheet 7A, family 153, Front St.) – William Meadville (12 Pennsylvania).
He graduated from Danville High School, Danville, Pennsylvania in June, 1936.
1940 United States Federal Census (17 April 1940): Danville Borough (Ward 4), Montour County, Pennsylvania (sheet 9A, household 179, 210 Ash Street) – William Meadville (22 Pennsylvania). His family had lived in the same place in 1935. William had completed four years of high school.
William Cecil Meadville (22, 21 January 1918, Bellwood Blair County, Pennsylvania), a resident of 210 Ash Street, Danville Borough, Montour County, Pennsylvania, signed up for his World War II Draft Registration Card (Serial No. 798, Order No. 1197) on 16 October 1940 at Danville Borough, Montour County, Pennsylvania. He was a student at Rising Sun School of Aeronautics (an aviation mechanics school) in Philadelphia. William listed his mother, Mrs. Earl Kirkpatrick, as the person who would always know his address. He was described as 6' 1" in height, 185 lbs., with a light complexion, brown hair and blue eyes.
William graduated from the Rising Sun School of Aeronautics in Philadelphia. He was employed by the Southern Air Lines in Birmingham, Alabama, as an aviation mechanic.
William C. Meadville enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve on 05 September 1942 in Birmingham, Alabama. He was sent to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center for his basic training. He then attended the Navy Mine Disposal School at American University Campus, Washington, D.C. Upon graduation from Mine Disposal School Class #12 on 28 November 1942. ACOM Meadville was assigned to Mobile Explosives Investigation Unit ONE, Navy 134, Freemantle, Australia.
AON2c William C. Meadville (S/N 604 89 93) is found aboard the U.S.S. PRESIDENT HAYES on 07 June 1943 sailing from Noumea, New Caledonia to sea. He had enlisted in the U,S, Navy on 05 September 1942 in Birmingham, Alabama. William was received on board the HAYES on 29 May 1943 from COMSERONSOPAC. On 11 June 1943 he was transferred to BASE GROUP 2s for duty J-4A. Source: U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls
After serving overseas for 13 months, he returned to the States in December of 1943, and he and the former Miss Kmiecinski were married 29 January 1944 in Danville, Pennsylvania.
Miss Edith Kmiecinski Weds W. C. Meadville
Miss Edith Kmiecinski, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Val Kmiecinski, 6 Upper Mulberry street, became the bride of First Class Petty Officer William C. Meadville, son of Mr. and Mrs, Earl Kirpatrick, of Bellwood, in a ceremony at St Hubert's rectory here by Rev. John M. Danneker. They were attended by Miss Thelma Rubb, of Berwick, and Carl Kmiecinski, brother of the bride.
Mrs. Meadville graduated from the Slovak Girl's Academy and is employed by the Rheem Manufacturing Company. Before entering the Navy the groom was employed at Decatur, Alabama, as an aviation mechanic.
After a wedding breakfast at the home of the bride's parents, the couple left for New York on a honeymoon trip. Source:
After their marriage, Officer Meadville was assigned to duty in Washington, D. C. where he remained for three months at the Bomb Disposal School. He then returned to the South Pacific area in June 1944.
1944
Commander Service Force, SEVENTH Fleet, assigned ACOM Meadville temporary additional duty to the U.S. Army as an Intelligence Observer in preparation for landing on Leyte Island, Philippines. ACOM Meadville's orders were to report to G-2, SIXTH Army, Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea with final assignment to G-2, U.S. X Corps at Finschhafen, Territory of New Guinea.
01 October 1944
Aviation Chief Ordnanceman (AA) William Cecil Meadville and Lt. (jg) John H. Fezler with the U.S. Navy, were passengers on a U.S. troop carrier plane (a Douglas C-47A-DK Skytrain with Serial Number 42-92062) that took off at 5:47 a.m. on 01 October 1944 from Cyclops Drome near Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea (now part of Indonesia) on a flight bound for Finschafen Airfield, Territory of New Guinea (now Papua, New Guinea). Aboard were four flight crew from the 70th Troop Carrier Squadron. Also aboard were passengers from the U.S. Army and seven Australians. Although the weather conditions were clear, with occasional scattered thunderstorms, and visibility was good, the plane failed to arrive at its destination. A search for the plane was made over the next few days without results. Nothing is known of what happened to it and no trace of the plane has ever been found. All 27 (4 crew and 23 passengers) were listed as missing in action.
Crew from the 70th Troop Carrier Squadron:
Pilot: 1st Lt. (posthumously promoted to Captain) Russell Andrew Morrison, (S/N 0-740880), De Leon, Texas.
Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Kenneth E. Wirth, (S/N 0-772242), Lincoln, Nebraska.
Aerial Engineer: TSgt. John F. Semmens, (S/N 12123113), Harrington Park, New Jersey.
Radio Operator: SSgt. Frank M. Staker, (S/N 39529923), Liberal, Kansas.
Passengers:
Lt. (jg) John Hartwell "Jack" Fezler, D-V (G), USNR (S/N 0-228365), Mobile Explosives Investigation Unit One (MEIU #1), Navy 134, Oklahoma.
Aviation Chief Ordnanceman (AA) William Cecil Meadville, USNR (S/N 6048993), Mobile Explosives Investigation Unit One (MEIU #1), Navy 134, Pennsylvania.
Colonel Oscar D. McNeely, (S/N O-7325), Headquarters, 25th Anti-aircraft Artillery Group, Oklahoma.
Captain (posthumously promoted to Major) Hal Sayre, III, (S/N O-355966), 821st Engineer Battalion, Aviation, Denver, Colorado.
Captain Boothe C. Haltom, (S/N O-366455), 146th Anti-aircraft Artillery Operations Detachment, Mississippi.
2nd Lt. (posthumously promoted to 1st Lt.) John R. Riisoe, (S/N O-2036215), Headquarters, Far East Air Force, Kansas.
2nd Lt. George D. Steel Jr., (S/N O2036224), Headquarters, Far East Air Service Command, Wyoming.
1st Lt. Harry E. Petersen, (S/N O1640812), 93rd Signal Battalion, Roosevelt, Minnesota.
1st Lt. William L. Pilgrim, (S/N O1289620), 151st Infantry Regiment, 38th Infantry Division, South Carolina.
1st Lt. Claude "Alvin" Reese, Jr., (S/N O-1288619), 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, Fort Worth, Texas.
Pfc. Paul E. Almon, (S/N 39197973), 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Washington.
Pfc. Irvin H. Miller, (S/N 33489435), Battalion Headquarters Company, 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Pennsylvania.
T/5 John L. Zajicek, S/N 37181290, 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Mississippi.
Pvt. Francis J. Benson, (S/N 38363676), 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Texas.
T/5 Alfred G. Daigneau, (S/N 15376994), 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Ohio.
Pfc. William Hardaway Hatch, Jr. , (S/N 34466193), 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Captain Clement Loughlin Schrader, (S/N SX9339), 2/7th Field Regiment Royal Australian Artillery, Cowandilla, Australia.
Lt. Peter Ogilvie Graham, (S/N QX26597), 2nd Marine Logistic Group, attached to 1st Australian Corps Headquarters, Kingaroy, Queensland, Australia.
Joseph Engel, (S/N TC 10622), Australia.
Arthur Hawley, (S/N TC 7041), Australia.
Roland Ince, (S/N TC 2405), Australia.
John Mignot, (S/N TC 10720), Australia.
Dennis Rawson, (S/N TC 9730), Australia.
Seven More County Servicemen Listed Ad Dead Or Missing
... William C. Meadville, aviation chief ordnance man of the USNR, son of Mrs. Esther Kirkpatrick, 320 Clark street, Bellwood, was listed as missing since October 1, in the South Pacific.
He was reported missing one day after his new daughter, Mary Ann was born. His wife, Mrs. Edith (Kmiecinski) Meadville, Danville, has not been informed of the navy department telegram.
At the time he enlisted in the navy September 1942, he was employed by the Southern Air Lines in Birmingham, Alabama. He was a graduate of the Rising Sun Aeronautical school in Philadelphia.
A half-brother, Lt. Earl Kirkpatrick, is somewhere in the South Pacific with the United States army. At home are the following half-sisters and brothers: Mrs. Shirley Hoffman, Mrs. Leon Strouse, whose husband is in France; Iva, Francis and Albert. Source: Altoona Tribune (Altoona, Pennsylvania), Saturday, 30 December 1944, page 10.
A letter, dated 19 January 1945, to his wife, Edith, received from Lt. N.N. Dosker, commander of the 7th Fleet Intelligence Staff in San Francisco, spoke of William as an expert in one of the most specialized jobs in the Navy and one of the best in his field.
All U.S. Army crew and passengers were officially declared dead the day of the mission. The U.S. Navy passengers were officially declared dead on 02 October 1945, one year and one day after the plane went missing.
Bellwood Chief Now Listed As Dead by Navy
ACO William C. Meadville, son of Mrs. Esther Kirkpatrick, 320 Clark street, Bellwood, who has been missing in the South Pacific area since October 1, 1944, is now presumed to have died about that date, according to a navy department notification received in Bellwood this week.
Assigned to temporary duty at Finschhafen, New Guinea, he was reported to have boarded a troop carrier plane at Hollandia, October 1, 1944. According to the navy notification, the troop plane failed to arrive at its destination and intensive search of a week failed to find any clue to the disappearance of the plane or its occupants.
Chief Meadville's wife, the former Edith Kmiecinski, and an infant daughter, born one day before he was reported missing, reside in Danville. Other members of the family include a half-brother, Lt. Earl Kirkpatrick, the following half-sisters and brothers: Mrs. Shirley Hoffman, Mrs. Leon Strouse, Iva, Francis and Albert, of Bellwood. Source: Altoona Tribune (Altoona, Pennsylvania) Tuesday, 11 December 1945, page7.
Aviation Chief Ordnanceman William Cecil Meadville is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing – United States Navy at Manila American Cemetery. William is survived by his wife, Edith Susan Kmiecinski Meadville (1918-1998) and newly born daughter, Mary Ann Meadville A'Zary (born 26 December 1944) (whom he never met).
His widow, Edith Kmiecinski Meadville, never remarried.
Edith Susan Kmiecinski Meadville (11 February 1918 • Danville Borough, Montour County, Pennsylvania – 10 January 1998 • Danville Borough, Montour County Pennsylvania)
Service ID: 6048993.
Entered the service from Pennsylvania.
Rank: Aviation Chief Ordnanceman, U.S. Navy
Unit: Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal – Mobile Explosives Investigation Unit One, Navy 134; United States Naval Reserve
Date of Death: 01 October 1944, killed when the plane he was on crashed somewhere between Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea (now part of Indonesia) and Finschafen Airfield, Territory of New Guinea (now Papua, New Guinea). He was officially declared dead on 02 October 1945, one year and one day after he went missing.
Status: Missing in Action
Memorialized: Manila American Cemetery – Tablets of the Missing – United States Navy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William's father, Cecil Blair Meadville, died on 28 November 1919, of toxic nephritis as a result of first and second degree burns, "when a quantity of kerosene exploded at his home." He was just 25, and William was not yet two years old, when he died.
1920 United States Federal Census (07 January 1920): Bellwood Borough, Blair County, Pennsylvania (sheet 1B, family 17) – William Meadville (1 11/12 Pennsylvania).
1930 United States Federal Census (10 April 1930): Herndon Borough, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania (sheet 7A, family 153, Front St.) – William Meadville (12 Pennsylvania).
He graduated from Danville High School, Danville, Pennsylvania in June, 1936.
1940 United States Federal Census (17 April 1940): Danville Borough (Ward 4), Montour County, Pennsylvania (sheet 9A, household 179, 210 Ash Street) – William Meadville (22 Pennsylvania). His family had lived in the same place in 1935. William had completed four years of high school.
William Cecil Meadville (22, 21 January 1918, Bellwood Blair County, Pennsylvania), a resident of 210 Ash Street, Danville Borough, Montour County, Pennsylvania, signed up for his World War II Draft Registration Card (Serial No. 798, Order No. 1197) on 16 October 1940 at Danville Borough, Montour County, Pennsylvania. He was a student at Rising Sun School of Aeronautics (an aviation mechanics school) in Philadelphia. William listed his mother, Mrs. Earl Kirkpatrick, as the person who would always know his address. He was described as 6' 1" in height, 185 lbs., with a light complexion, brown hair and blue eyes.
William graduated from the Rising Sun School of Aeronautics in Philadelphia. He was employed by the Southern Air Lines in Birmingham, Alabama, as an aviation mechanic.
William C. Meadville enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve on 05 September 1942 in Birmingham, Alabama. He was sent to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center for his basic training. He then attended the Navy Mine Disposal School at American University Campus, Washington, D.C. Upon graduation from Mine Disposal School Class #12 on 28 November 1942. ACOM Meadville was assigned to Mobile Explosives Investigation Unit ONE, Navy 134, Freemantle, Australia.
AON2c William C. Meadville (S/N 604 89 93) is found aboard the U.S.S. PRESIDENT HAYES on 07 June 1943 sailing from Noumea, New Caledonia to sea. He had enlisted in the U,S, Navy on 05 September 1942 in Birmingham, Alabama. William was received on board the HAYES on 29 May 1943 from COMSERONSOPAC. On 11 June 1943 he was transferred to BASE GROUP 2s for duty J-4A. Source: U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls
After serving overseas for 13 months, he returned to the States in December of 1943, and he and the former Miss Kmiecinski were married 29 January 1944 in Danville, Pennsylvania.
Miss Edith Kmiecinski Weds W. C. Meadville
Miss Edith Kmiecinski, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Val Kmiecinski, 6 Upper Mulberry street, became the bride of First Class Petty Officer William C. Meadville, son of Mr. and Mrs, Earl Kirpatrick, of Bellwood, in a ceremony at St Hubert's rectory here by Rev. John M. Danneker. They were attended by Miss Thelma Rubb, of Berwick, and Carl Kmiecinski, brother of the bride.
Mrs. Meadville graduated from the Slovak Girl's Academy and is employed by the Rheem Manufacturing Company. Before entering the Navy the groom was employed at Decatur, Alabama, as an aviation mechanic.
After a wedding breakfast at the home of the bride's parents, the couple left for New York on a honeymoon trip. Source:
After their marriage, Officer Meadville was assigned to duty in Washington, D. C. where he remained for three months at the Bomb Disposal School. He then returned to the South Pacific area in June 1944.
1944
Commander Service Force, SEVENTH Fleet, assigned ACOM Meadville temporary additional duty to the U.S. Army as an Intelligence Observer in preparation for landing on Leyte Island, Philippines. ACOM Meadville's orders were to report to G-2, SIXTH Army, Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea with final assignment to G-2, U.S. X Corps at Finschhafen, Territory of New Guinea.
01 October 1944
Aviation Chief Ordnanceman (AA) William Cecil Meadville and Lt. (jg) John H. Fezler with the U.S. Navy, were passengers on a U.S. troop carrier plane (a Douglas C-47A-DK Skytrain with Serial Number 42-92062) that took off at 5:47 a.m. on 01 October 1944 from Cyclops Drome near Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea (now part of Indonesia) on a flight bound for Finschafen Airfield, Territory of New Guinea (now Papua, New Guinea). Aboard were four flight crew from the 70th Troop Carrier Squadron. Also aboard were passengers from the U.S. Army and seven Australians. Although the weather conditions were clear, with occasional scattered thunderstorms, and visibility was good, the plane failed to arrive at its destination. A search for the plane was made over the next few days without results. Nothing is known of what happened to it and no trace of the plane has ever been found. All 27 (4 crew and 23 passengers) were listed as missing in action.
Crew from the 70th Troop Carrier Squadron:
Pilot: 1st Lt. (posthumously promoted to Captain) Russell Andrew Morrison, (S/N 0-740880), De Leon, Texas.
Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Kenneth E. Wirth, (S/N 0-772242), Lincoln, Nebraska.
Aerial Engineer: TSgt. John F. Semmens, (S/N 12123113), Harrington Park, New Jersey.
Radio Operator: SSgt. Frank M. Staker, (S/N 39529923), Liberal, Kansas.
Passengers:
Lt. (jg) John Hartwell "Jack" Fezler, D-V (G), USNR (S/N 0-228365), Mobile Explosives Investigation Unit One (MEIU #1), Navy 134, Oklahoma.
Aviation Chief Ordnanceman (AA) William Cecil Meadville, USNR (S/N 6048993), Mobile Explosives Investigation Unit One (MEIU #1), Navy 134, Pennsylvania.
Colonel Oscar D. McNeely, (S/N O-7325), Headquarters, 25th Anti-aircraft Artillery Group, Oklahoma.
Captain (posthumously promoted to Major) Hal Sayre, III, (S/N O-355966), 821st Engineer Battalion, Aviation, Denver, Colorado.
Captain Boothe C. Haltom, (S/N O-366455), 146th Anti-aircraft Artillery Operations Detachment, Mississippi.
2nd Lt. (posthumously promoted to 1st Lt.) John R. Riisoe, (S/N O-2036215), Headquarters, Far East Air Force, Kansas.
2nd Lt. George D. Steel Jr., (S/N O2036224), Headquarters, Far East Air Service Command, Wyoming.
1st Lt. Harry E. Petersen, (S/N O1640812), 93rd Signal Battalion, Roosevelt, Minnesota.
1st Lt. William L. Pilgrim, (S/N O1289620), 151st Infantry Regiment, 38th Infantry Division, South Carolina.
1st Lt. Claude "Alvin" Reese, Jr., (S/N O-1288619), 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, Fort Worth, Texas.
Pfc. Paul E. Almon, (S/N 39197973), 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Washington.
Pfc. Irvin H. Miller, (S/N 33489435), Battalion Headquarters Company, 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Pennsylvania.
T/5 John L. Zajicek, S/N 37181290, 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Mississippi.
Pvt. Francis J. Benson, (S/N 38363676), 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Texas.
T/5 Alfred G. Daigneau, (S/N 15376994), 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Ohio.
Pfc. William Hardaway Hatch, Jr. , (S/N 34466193), 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Captain Clement Loughlin Schrader, (S/N SX9339), 2/7th Field Regiment Royal Australian Artillery, Cowandilla, Australia.
Lt. Peter Ogilvie Graham, (S/N QX26597), 2nd Marine Logistic Group, attached to 1st Australian Corps Headquarters, Kingaroy, Queensland, Australia.
Joseph Engel, (S/N TC 10622), Australia.
Arthur Hawley, (S/N TC 7041), Australia.
Roland Ince, (S/N TC 2405), Australia.
John Mignot, (S/N TC 10720), Australia.
Dennis Rawson, (S/N TC 9730), Australia.
Seven More County Servicemen Listed Ad Dead Or Missing
... William C. Meadville, aviation chief ordnance man of the USNR, son of Mrs. Esther Kirkpatrick, 320 Clark street, Bellwood, was listed as missing since October 1, in the South Pacific.
He was reported missing one day after his new daughter, Mary Ann was born. His wife, Mrs. Edith (Kmiecinski) Meadville, Danville, has not been informed of the navy department telegram.
At the time he enlisted in the navy September 1942, he was employed by the Southern Air Lines in Birmingham, Alabama. He was a graduate of the Rising Sun Aeronautical school in Philadelphia.
A half-brother, Lt. Earl Kirkpatrick, is somewhere in the South Pacific with the United States army. At home are the following half-sisters and brothers: Mrs. Shirley Hoffman, Mrs. Leon Strouse, whose husband is in France; Iva, Francis and Albert. Source: Altoona Tribune (Altoona, Pennsylvania), Saturday, 30 December 1944, page 10.
A letter, dated 19 January 1945, to his wife, Edith, received from Lt. N.N. Dosker, commander of the 7th Fleet Intelligence Staff in San Francisco, spoke of William as an expert in one of the most specialized jobs in the Navy and one of the best in his field.
All U.S. Army crew and passengers were officially declared dead the day of the mission. The U.S. Navy passengers were officially declared dead on 02 October 1945, one year and one day after the plane went missing.
Bellwood Chief Now Listed As Dead by Navy
ACO William C. Meadville, son of Mrs. Esther Kirkpatrick, 320 Clark street, Bellwood, who has been missing in the South Pacific area since October 1, 1944, is now presumed to have died about that date, according to a navy department notification received in Bellwood this week.
Assigned to temporary duty at Finschhafen, New Guinea, he was reported to have boarded a troop carrier plane at Hollandia, October 1, 1944. According to the navy notification, the troop plane failed to arrive at its destination and intensive search of a week failed to find any clue to the disappearance of the plane or its occupants.
Chief Meadville's wife, the former Edith Kmiecinski, and an infant daughter, born one day before he was reported missing, reside in Danville. Other members of the family include a half-brother, Lt. Earl Kirkpatrick, the following half-sisters and brothers: Mrs. Shirley Hoffman, Mrs. Leon Strouse, Iva, Francis and Albert, of Bellwood. Source: Altoona Tribune (Altoona, Pennsylvania) Tuesday, 11 December 1945, page7.
Aviation Chief Ordnanceman William Cecil Meadville is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing – United States Navy at Manila American Cemetery. William is survived by his wife, Edith Susan Kmiecinski Meadville (1918-1998) and newly born daughter, Mary Ann Meadville A'Zary (born 26 December 1944) (whom he never met).
His widow, Edith Kmiecinski Meadville, never remarried.
Edith Susan Kmiecinski Meadville (11 February 1918 • Danville Borough, Montour County, Pennsylvania – 10 January 1998 • Danville Borough, Montour County Pennsylvania)
William C. Meadville
Service ID: 6048993.
Entered the service from Pennsylvania.
Rank: Aviation Chief Ordnanceman, U.S. Navy
Unit: Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal – Mobile Explosives Investigation Unit One, Navy 134; United States Naval Reserve
Date of Death: 01 October 1944, killed when the plane he was on crashed somewhere between Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea (now part of Indonesia) and Finschafen Airfield, Territory of New Guinea (now Papua, New Guinea). He was officially declared dead on 02 October 1945, one year and one day after he went missing.
Status: Missing in Action
Memorialized: Manila American Cemetery – Tablets of the Missing – United States Navy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William's father, Cecil Blair Meadville, died on 28 November 1919, of toxic nephritis as a result of first and second degree burns, "when a quantity of kerosene exploded at his home." He was just 25, and William was not yet two years old, when he died.
1920 United States Federal Census (07 January 1920): Bellwood Borough, Blair County, Pennsylvania (sheet 1B, family 17) – William Meadville (1 11/12 Pennsylvania).
1930 United States Federal Census (10 April 1930): Herndon Borough, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania (sheet 7A, family 153, Front St.) – William Meadville (12 Pennsylvania).
He graduated from Danville High School, Danville, Pennsylvania in June, 1936.
1940 United States Federal Census (17 April 1940): Danville Borough (Ward 4), Montour County, Pennsylvania (sheet 9A, household 179, 210 Ash Street) – William Meadville (22 Pennsylvania). His family had lived in the same place in 1935. William had completed four years of high school.
William Cecil Meadville (22, 21 January 1918, Bellwood Blair County, Pennsylvania), a resident of 210 Ash Street, Danville Borough, Montour County, Pennsylvania, signed up for his World War II Draft Registration Card (Serial No. 798, Order No. 1197) on 16 October 1940 at Danville Borough, Montour County, Pennsylvania. He was a student at Rising Sun School of Aeronautics (an aviation mechanics school) in Philadelphia. William listed his mother, Mrs. Earl Kirkpatrick, as the person who would always know his address. He was described as 6' 1" in height, 185 lbs., with a light complexion, brown hair and blue eyes.
William graduated from the Rising Sun School of Aeronautics in Philadelphia. He was employed by the Southern Air Lines in Birmingham, Alabama, as an aviation mechanic.
William C. Meadville enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve on 05 September 1942 in Birmingham, Alabama. He was sent to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center for his basic training. He then attended the Navy Mine Disposal School at American University Campus, Washington, D.C. Upon graduation from Mine Disposal School Class #12 on 28 November 1942. ACOM Meadville was assigned to Mobile Explosives Investigation Unit ONE, Navy 134, Freemantle, Australia.
AON2c William C. Meadville (S/N 604 89 93) is found aboard the U.S.S. PRESIDENT HAYES on 07 June 1943 sailing from Noumea, New Caledonia to sea. He had enlisted in the U,S, Navy on 05 September 1942 in Birmingham, Alabama. William was received on board the HAYES on 29 May 1943 from COMSERONSOPAC. On 11 June 1943 he was transferred to BASE GROUP 2s for duty J-4A. Source: U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls
After serving overseas for 13 months, he returned to the States in December of 1943, and he and the former Miss Kmiecinski were married 29 January 1944 in Danville, Pennsylvania.
Miss Edith Kmiecinski Weds W. C. Meadville
Miss Edith Kmiecinski, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Val Kmiecinski, 6 Upper Mulberry street, became the bride of First Class Petty Officer William C. Meadville, son of Mr. and Mrs, Earl Kirpatrick, of Bellwood, in a ceremony at St Hubert's rectory here by Rev. John M. Danneker. They were attended by Miss Thelma Rubb, of Berwick, and Carl Kmiecinski, brother of the bride.
Mrs. Meadville graduated from the Slovak Girl's Academy and is employed by the Rheem Manufacturing Company. Before entering the Navy the groom was employed at Decatur, Alabama, as an aviation mechanic.
After a wedding breakfast at the home of the bride's parents, the couple left for New York on a honeymoon trip. Source:
After their marriage, Officer Meadville was assigned to duty in Washington, D. C. where he remained for three months at the Bomb Disposal School. He then returned to the South Pacific area in June 1944.
1944
Commander Service Force, SEVENTH Fleet, assigned ACOM Meadville temporary additional duty to the U.S. Army as an Intelligence Observer in preparation for landing on Leyte Island, Philippines. ACOM Meadville's orders were to report to G-2, SIXTH Army, Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea with final assignment to G-2, U.S. X Corps at Finschhafen, Territory of New Guinea.
01 October 1944
Aviation Chief Ordnanceman (AA) William Cecil Meadville and Lt. (jg) John H. Fezler with the U.S. Navy, were passengers on a U.S. troop carrier plane (a Douglas C-47A-DK Skytrain with Serial Number 42-92062) that took off at 5:47 a.m. on 01 October 1944 from Cyclops Drome near Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea (now part of Indonesia) on a flight bound for Finschafen Airfield, Territory of New Guinea (now Papua, New Guinea). Aboard were four flight crew from the 70th Troop Carrier Squadron. Also aboard were passengers from the U.S. Army and seven Australians. Although the weather conditions were clear, with occasional scattered thunderstorms, and visibility was good, the plane failed to arrive at its destination. A search for the plane was made over the next few days without results. Nothing is known of what happened to it and no trace of the plane has ever been found. All 27 (4 crew and 23 passengers) were listed as missing in action.
Crew from the 70th Troop Carrier Squadron:
Pilot: 1st Lt. (posthumously promoted to Captain) Russell Andrew Morrison, (S/N 0-740880), De Leon, Texas.
Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Kenneth E. Wirth, (S/N 0-772242), Lincoln, Nebraska.
Aerial Engineer: TSgt. John F. Semmens, (S/N 12123113), Harrington Park, New Jersey.
Radio Operator: SSgt. Frank M. Staker, (S/N 39529923), Liberal, Kansas.
Passengers:
Lt. (jg) John Hartwell "Jack" Fezler, D-V (G), USNR (S/N 0-228365), Mobile Explosives Investigation Unit One (MEIU #1), Navy 134, Oklahoma.
Aviation Chief Ordnanceman (AA) William Cecil Meadville, USNR (S/N 6048993), Mobile Explosives Investigation Unit One (MEIU #1), Navy 134, Pennsylvania.
Colonel Oscar D. McNeely, (S/N O-7325), Headquarters, 25th Anti-aircraft Artillery Group, Oklahoma.
Captain (posthumously promoted to Major) Hal Sayre, III, (S/N O-355966), 821st Engineer Battalion, Aviation, Denver, Colorado.
Captain Boothe C. Haltom, (S/N O-366455), 146th Anti-aircraft Artillery Operations Detachment, Mississippi.
2nd Lt. (posthumously promoted to 1st Lt.) John R. Riisoe, (S/N O-2036215), Headquarters, Far East Air Force, Kansas.
2nd Lt. George D. Steel Jr., (S/N O2036224), Headquarters, Far East Air Service Command, Wyoming.
1st Lt. Harry E. Petersen, (S/N O1640812), 93rd Signal Battalion, Roosevelt, Minnesota.
1st Lt. William L. Pilgrim, (S/N O1289620), 151st Infantry Regiment, 38th Infantry Division, South Carolina.
1st Lt. Claude "Alvin" Reese, Jr., (S/N O-1288619), 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, Fort Worth, Texas.
Pfc. Paul E. Almon, (S/N 39197973), 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Washington.
Pfc. Irvin H. Miller, (S/N 33489435), Battalion Headquarters Company, 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Pennsylvania.
T/5 John L. Zajicek, S/N 37181290, 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Mississippi.
Pvt. Francis J. Benson, (S/N 38363676), 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Texas.
T/5 Alfred G. Daigneau, (S/N 15376994), 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Ohio.
Pfc. William Hardaway Hatch, Jr. , (S/N 34466193), 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Captain Clement Loughlin Schrader, (S/N SX9339), 2/7th Field Regiment Royal Australian Artillery, Cowandilla, Australia.
Lt. Peter Ogilvie Graham, (S/N QX26597), 2nd Marine Logistic Group, attached to 1st Australian Corps Headquarters, Kingaroy, Queensland, Australia.
Joseph Engel, (S/N TC 10622), Australia.
Arthur Hawley, (S/N TC 7041), Australia.
Roland Ince, (S/N TC 2405), Australia.
John Mignot, (S/N TC 10720), Australia.
Dennis Rawson, (S/N TC 9730), Australia.
Seven More County Servicemen Listed Ad Dead Or Missing
... William C. Meadville, aviation chief ordnance man of the USNR, son of Mrs. Esther Kirkpatrick, 320 Clark street, Bellwood, was listed as missing since October 1, in the South Pacific.
He was reported missing one day after his new daughter, Mary Ann was born. His wife, Mrs. Edith (Kmiecinski) Meadville, Danville, has not been informed of the navy department telegram.
At the time he enlisted in the navy September 1942, he was employed by the Southern Air Lines in Birmingham, Alabama. He was a graduate of the Rising Sun Aeronautical school in Philadelphia.
A half-brother, Lt. Earl Kirkpatrick, is somewhere in the South Pacific with the United States army. At home are the following half-sisters and brothers: Mrs. Shirley Hoffman, Mrs. Leon Strouse, whose husband is in France; Iva, Francis and Albert. Source: Altoona Tribune (Altoona, Pennsylvania), Saturday, 30 December 1944, page 10.
A letter, dated 19 January 1945, to his wife, Edith, received from Lt. N.N. Dosker, commander of the 7th Fleet Intelligence Staff in San Francisco, spoke of William as an expert in one of the most specialized jobs in the Navy and one of the best in his field.
All U.S. Army crew and passengers were officially declared dead the day of the mission. The U.S. Navy passengers were officially declared dead on 02 October 1945, one year and one day after the plane went missing.
Bellwood Chief Now Listed As Dead by Navy
ACO William C. Meadville, son of Mrs. Esther Kirkpatrick, 320 Clark street, Bellwood, who has been missing in the South Pacific area since October 1, 1944, is now presumed to have died about that date, according to a navy department notification received in Bellwood this week.
Assigned to temporary duty at Finschhafen, New Guinea, he was reported to have boarded a troop carrier plane at Hollandia, October 1, 1944. According to the navy notification, the troop plane failed to arrive at its destination and intensive search of a week failed to find any clue to the disappearance of the plane or its occupants.
Chief Meadville's wife, the former Edith Kmiecinski, and an infant daughter, born one day before he was reported missing, reside in Danville. Other members of the family include a half-brother, Lt. Earl Kirkpatrick, the following half-sisters and brothers: Mrs. Shirley Hoffman, Mrs. Leon Strouse, Iva, Francis and Albert, of Bellwood. Source: Altoona Tribune (Altoona, Pennsylvania) Tuesday, 11 December 1945, page7.
Aviation Chief Ordnanceman William Cecil Meadville is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing – United States Navy at Manila American Cemetery. William is survived by his wife, Edith Susan Kmiecinski Meadville (1918-1998) and newly born daughter, Mary Ann Meadville A'Zary (born 26 December 1944) (whom he never met).
His widow, Edith Kmiecinski Meadville, never remarried.
Edith Susan Kmiecinski Meadville (11 February 1918 • Danville Borough, Montour County, Pennsylvania – 10 January 1998 • Danville Borough, Montour County Pennsylvania)
Service ID: 6048993.
Entered the service from Pennsylvania.
Rank: Aviation Chief Ordnanceman, U.S. Navy
Unit: Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal – Mobile Explosives Investigation Unit One, Navy 134; United States Naval Reserve
Date of Death: 01 October 1944, killed when the plane he was on crashed somewhere between Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea (now part of Indonesia) and Finschafen Airfield, Territory of New Guinea (now Papua, New Guinea). He was officially declared dead on 02 October 1945, one year and one day after he went missing.
Status: Missing in Action
Memorialized: Manila American Cemetery – Tablets of the Missing – United States Navy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
William's father, Cecil Blair Meadville, died on 28 November 1919, of toxic nephritis as a result of first and second degree burns, "when a quantity of kerosene exploded at his home." He was just 25, and William was not yet two years old, when he died.
1920 United States Federal Census (07 January 1920): Bellwood Borough, Blair County, Pennsylvania (sheet 1B, family 17) – William Meadville (1 11/12 Pennsylvania).
1930 United States Federal Census (10 April 1930): Herndon Borough, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania (sheet 7A, family 153, Front St.) – William Meadville (12 Pennsylvania).
He graduated from Danville High School, Danville, Pennsylvania in June, 1936.
1940 United States Federal Census (17 April 1940): Danville Borough (Ward 4), Montour County, Pennsylvania (sheet 9A, household 179, 210 Ash Street) – William Meadville (22 Pennsylvania). His family had lived in the same place in 1935. William had completed four years of high school.
William Cecil Meadville (22, 21 January 1918, Bellwood Blair County, Pennsylvania), a resident of 210 Ash Street, Danville Borough, Montour County, Pennsylvania, signed up for his World War II Draft Registration Card (Serial No. 798, Order No. 1197) on 16 October 1940 at Danville Borough, Montour County, Pennsylvania. He was a student at Rising Sun School of Aeronautics (an aviation mechanics school) in Philadelphia. William listed his mother, Mrs. Earl Kirkpatrick, as the person who would always know his address. He was described as 6' 1" in height, 185 lbs., with a light complexion, brown hair and blue eyes.
William graduated from the Rising Sun School of Aeronautics in Philadelphia. He was employed by the Southern Air Lines in Birmingham, Alabama, as an aviation mechanic.
William C. Meadville enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve on 05 September 1942 in Birmingham, Alabama. He was sent to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center for his basic training. He then attended the Navy Mine Disposal School at American University Campus, Washington, D.C. Upon graduation from Mine Disposal School Class #12 on 28 November 1942. ACOM Meadville was assigned to Mobile Explosives Investigation Unit ONE, Navy 134, Freemantle, Australia.
AON2c William C. Meadville (S/N 604 89 93) is found aboard the U.S.S. PRESIDENT HAYES on 07 June 1943 sailing from Noumea, New Caledonia to sea. He had enlisted in the U,S, Navy on 05 September 1942 in Birmingham, Alabama. William was received on board the HAYES on 29 May 1943 from COMSERONSOPAC. On 11 June 1943 he was transferred to BASE GROUP 2s for duty J-4A. Source: U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls
After serving overseas for 13 months, he returned to the States in December of 1943, and he and the former Miss Kmiecinski were married 29 January 1944 in Danville, Pennsylvania.
Miss Edith Kmiecinski Weds W. C. Meadville
Miss Edith Kmiecinski, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Val Kmiecinski, 6 Upper Mulberry street, became the bride of First Class Petty Officer William C. Meadville, son of Mr. and Mrs, Earl Kirpatrick, of Bellwood, in a ceremony at St Hubert's rectory here by Rev. John M. Danneker. They were attended by Miss Thelma Rubb, of Berwick, and Carl Kmiecinski, brother of the bride.
Mrs. Meadville graduated from the Slovak Girl's Academy and is employed by the Rheem Manufacturing Company. Before entering the Navy the groom was employed at Decatur, Alabama, as an aviation mechanic.
After a wedding breakfast at the home of the bride's parents, the couple left for New York on a honeymoon trip. Source:
After their marriage, Officer Meadville was assigned to duty in Washington, D. C. where he remained for three months at the Bomb Disposal School. He then returned to the South Pacific area in June 1944.
1944
Commander Service Force, SEVENTH Fleet, assigned ACOM Meadville temporary additional duty to the U.S. Army as an Intelligence Observer in preparation for landing on Leyte Island, Philippines. ACOM Meadville's orders were to report to G-2, SIXTH Army, Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea with final assignment to G-2, U.S. X Corps at Finschhafen, Territory of New Guinea.
01 October 1944
Aviation Chief Ordnanceman (AA) William Cecil Meadville and Lt. (jg) John H. Fezler with the U.S. Navy, were passengers on a U.S. troop carrier plane (a Douglas C-47A-DK Skytrain with Serial Number 42-92062) that took off at 5:47 a.m. on 01 October 1944 from Cyclops Drome near Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea (now part of Indonesia) on a flight bound for Finschafen Airfield, Territory of New Guinea (now Papua, New Guinea). Aboard were four flight crew from the 70th Troop Carrier Squadron. Also aboard were passengers from the U.S. Army and seven Australians. Although the weather conditions were clear, with occasional scattered thunderstorms, and visibility was good, the plane failed to arrive at its destination. A search for the plane was made over the next few days without results. Nothing is known of what happened to it and no trace of the plane has ever been found. All 27 (4 crew and 23 passengers) were listed as missing in action.
Crew from the 70th Troop Carrier Squadron:
Pilot: 1st Lt. (posthumously promoted to Captain) Russell Andrew Morrison, (S/N 0-740880), De Leon, Texas.
Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Kenneth E. Wirth, (S/N 0-772242), Lincoln, Nebraska.
Aerial Engineer: TSgt. John F. Semmens, (S/N 12123113), Harrington Park, New Jersey.
Radio Operator: SSgt. Frank M. Staker, (S/N 39529923), Liberal, Kansas.
Passengers:
Lt. (jg) John Hartwell "Jack" Fezler, D-V (G), USNR (S/N 0-228365), Mobile Explosives Investigation Unit One (MEIU #1), Navy 134, Oklahoma.
Aviation Chief Ordnanceman (AA) William Cecil Meadville, USNR (S/N 6048993), Mobile Explosives Investigation Unit One (MEIU #1), Navy 134, Pennsylvania.
Colonel Oscar D. McNeely, (S/N O-7325), Headquarters, 25th Anti-aircraft Artillery Group, Oklahoma.
Captain (posthumously promoted to Major) Hal Sayre, III, (S/N O-355966), 821st Engineer Battalion, Aviation, Denver, Colorado.
Captain Boothe C. Haltom, (S/N O-366455), 146th Anti-aircraft Artillery Operations Detachment, Mississippi.
2nd Lt. (posthumously promoted to 1st Lt.) John R. Riisoe, (S/N O-2036215), Headquarters, Far East Air Force, Kansas.
2nd Lt. George D. Steel Jr., (S/N O2036224), Headquarters, Far East Air Service Command, Wyoming.
1st Lt. Harry E. Petersen, (S/N O1640812), 93rd Signal Battalion, Roosevelt, Minnesota.
1st Lt. William L. Pilgrim, (S/N O1289620), 151st Infantry Regiment, 38th Infantry Division, South Carolina.
1st Lt. Claude "Alvin" Reese, Jr., (S/N O-1288619), 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, Fort Worth, Texas.
Pfc. Paul E. Almon, (S/N 39197973), 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Washington.
Pfc. Irvin H. Miller, (S/N 33489435), Battalion Headquarters Company, 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Pennsylvania.
T/5 John L. Zajicek, S/N 37181290, 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Mississippi.
Pvt. Francis J. Benson, (S/N 38363676), 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Texas.
T/5 Alfred G. Daigneau, (S/N 15376994), 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Ohio.
Pfc. William Hardaway Hatch, Jr. , (S/N 34466193), 574th Signal Air Warning Battalion, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Captain Clement Loughlin Schrader, (S/N SX9339), 2/7th Field Regiment Royal Australian Artillery, Cowandilla, Australia.
Lt. Peter Ogilvie Graham, (S/N QX26597), 2nd Marine Logistic Group, attached to 1st Australian Corps Headquarters, Kingaroy, Queensland, Australia.
Joseph Engel, (S/N TC 10622), Australia.
Arthur Hawley, (S/N TC 7041), Australia.
Roland Ince, (S/N TC 2405), Australia.
John Mignot, (S/N TC 10720), Australia.
Dennis Rawson, (S/N TC 9730), Australia.
Seven More County Servicemen Listed Ad Dead Or Missing
... William C. Meadville, aviation chief ordnance man of the USNR, son of Mrs. Esther Kirkpatrick, 320 Clark street, Bellwood, was listed as missing since October 1, in the South Pacific.
He was reported missing one day after his new daughter, Mary Ann was born. His wife, Mrs. Edith (Kmiecinski) Meadville, Danville, has not been informed of the navy department telegram.
At the time he enlisted in the navy September 1942, he was employed by the Southern Air Lines in Birmingham, Alabama. He was a graduate of the Rising Sun Aeronautical school in Philadelphia.
A half-brother, Lt. Earl Kirkpatrick, is somewhere in the South Pacific with the United States army. At home are the following half-sisters and brothers: Mrs. Shirley Hoffman, Mrs. Leon Strouse, whose husband is in France; Iva, Francis and Albert. Source: Altoona Tribune (Altoona, Pennsylvania), Saturday, 30 December 1944, page 10.
A letter, dated 19 January 1945, to his wife, Edith, received from Lt. N.N. Dosker, commander of the 7th Fleet Intelligence Staff in San Francisco, spoke of William as an expert in one of the most specialized jobs in the Navy and one of the best in his field.
All U.S. Army crew and passengers were officially declared dead the day of the mission. The U.S. Navy passengers were officially declared dead on 02 October 1945, one year and one day after the plane went missing.
Bellwood Chief Now Listed As Dead by Navy
ACO William C. Meadville, son of Mrs. Esther Kirkpatrick, 320 Clark street, Bellwood, who has been missing in the South Pacific area since October 1, 1944, is now presumed to have died about that date, according to a navy department notification received in Bellwood this week.
Assigned to temporary duty at Finschhafen, New Guinea, he was reported to have boarded a troop carrier plane at Hollandia, October 1, 1944. According to the navy notification, the troop plane failed to arrive at its destination and intensive search of a week failed to find any clue to the disappearance of the plane or its occupants.
Chief Meadville's wife, the former Edith Kmiecinski, and an infant daughter, born one day before he was reported missing, reside in Danville. Other members of the family include a half-brother, Lt. Earl Kirkpatrick, the following half-sisters and brothers: Mrs. Shirley Hoffman, Mrs. Leon Strouse, Iva, Francis and Albert, of Bellwood. Source: Altoona Tribune (Altoona, Pennsylvania) Tuesday, 11 December 1945, page7.
Aviation Chief Ordnanceman William Cecil Meadville is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing – United States Navy at Manila American Cemetery. William is survived by his wife, Edith Susan Kmiecinski Meadville (1918-1998) and newly born daughter, Mary Ann Meadville A'Zary (born 26 December 1944) (whom he never met).
His widow, Edith Kmiecinski Meadville, never remarried.
Edith Susan Kmiecinski Meadville (11 February 1918 • Danville Borough, Montour County, Pennsylvania – 10 January 1998 • Danville Borough, Montour County Pennsylvania)
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