William Harris Crawford White

Graduating Class
1937

Major
Architecture

Activities at Clemson
Attended Clemson College during the 1933-1934 school. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1937.

Hometown
Columbia, South Carolina

Service & Rank
Army Air Force, First Lieutenant

Unit
11th Bomb Squadron, 341st Bomb Group

Awards/Citations
Purple Heart

Date of Birth
Aug 20, 1915

Date of Death
Dec 30, 1943

Details of Death
Killed in Action - China

Burial Details
Listed on the Roll of the Missing, Manila AMC.

Barrow Stone Location
NE

Additional Information

MACR/Accident Report# 1631  Aircraft Model:B-25D  S/N# 41-30451 Organization: Location-A.P.O. 430;  Command or AAF/AF -14th U.S. Air Force  Group-341st Bomb Gp (M);  Squadron-11th Bomb Squad (M);  Place of Departure- Suichwan, China;  Target or Intended Destination- River Sweep, Yangtze River;  Type of Mission- Combat;  Date: 12/30/43; Time: 08:50;  Location of Crash: 30 10’N 116 50’E;  Reason Aircraft was Lost: Believed to hit mast with right wing ripping approximately six feet off outer end;  Number of Persons Aboard Aircraft: Crew-4  Passengers-0  Total-4

List of Crew:

Narratives:

Plane #57 was approaching river boat on a low-level bomb dropping run.  Direction was toward the north bank of the Yangtze River at the location of 30 10’N 116 50’E.  After dropping bomb, the aircraft proceeded to pull up over the boat at which time the last six feet (approximately) of the right wing came off.  The ship yawed and nosed up, then down, and appeared to be almost controllable when it hit the high mud bank of the river.  The released bomb skipped and landed close by, exploding.  The ship also exploded and burned.  We then circled and took photos.

Plane #57 piloted by Lt. Arnold and his squadron crashed and exploded on the north band of the Yangtze River approximately 10 miles up the river west of Anking.  The plane made a pass on a ship at this spot dropping only one bomb that I saw.  It hit the deck and tumbled after the plane, but was clear of it.  The outboard section of the right wing came off just after the pass over the ship.  The plane veered to the right and down, striking the bank on the north side.  A gasoline explosion was seen on implact.  The fire burned and flared up intermittently until a few minutes later.  Very little wreckage remained above the water.  The fuselage was not visible.  Five or six 250 pound bombs were in the plane at the time of the crash.  I saw no survivors, which is entirely reasonable since the plane hit the water at about 200 miles per hour taking the greater speed of the run into consideration.

Subject: Missing Air Crew Report

To: Commanding General, Rear Rohelon U.S.A.F., C.B.I., A.P.O. 885

1. Additional information is submitted concerning B-25 D airplane No. 41-30456, which was subject of report sent to your Headquarters, 6 January 1944.

2. Report has been received from Chinese authorities to the effect that three of the crew were taken prisoner by the Japanese.  The source of the report cannot be considered as absolutely reliable but damage done to enemy shipping on this mission in Chinese report agrees closely with combat intelligence report.  The opinions of other crews in mission is that if anyone was alive after the crash, it is miraculous.

For the commanding general:

Related Images Click to Enlarge

The State pg1A 01/07/1944

Extra Documents