News About Men in Service From Over Northeast Iowa
The six northeast Iowans pictured above were graduated Friday from flying fields of the army air forces gulf coast training center. Five of them were awarded their silver wings and commissioned as second lieutenants and the sixth, William E. Boone of Manchester, was commissioned as a flight officer.
Roderick F. Rice, Allison, was graduated from Blackland Field, Waco, Tex; William L. Beecher, Elam, Aloe, Tex; Warren S. Miller, Independence, Ellington, Tex; William E. Boone, Lubbock, Tex; Orris B. Kirtley, Oelwein, Eagle Pass, Tex and James B. Feltus, Oelwein, Ellington.
Source: The Courier, Waterloo IA - August 1, 1943 (photo included)
Manchester Youth In Bomber School
Manchester -- William E. Boone, son of Ivan Boone of Manchester, who graduated from Lubbock, Texas, army airfield, has been transferred to the army air base at Fort Worth, Texas for transition training in bombing planes. Boone's only other brother, Howard Boone, received his wings the first of this year in the naval air corps, and is now an instructor in California.
Source: The Gazette, August 8, 1943 (photo included)
Delaware Pilot Declared Dead
Manchester, Ia. -- Capt. William E. Boone, 23, son of Ivan G. Boone of Manchester, who was reported missing a year ago while on his last mission over Germany, has been officially declared a casualty according to a communication received Thursday by his father from Maj. Gen. Edward F. Witsell, adjutant general of the army.
Born at Delaware, Ia, Captain Boone was graduated from the Delhi, Ia. consolidated school, and enlisted in the army service in 1939. He was graduated at Lubbock Field, Tex., in July 1943, where he received his wings and served as flying gunnery instructor at Laredo, Tex.
Captain Boone served as staff sergeant prior to taking his flight training at various points in the the United States and started his flight training in November, 1943.
Training with his crew in Caspar, Wyo, Captain Boone went overseas in June 1944. He was decorated with the Air Medal three times, and as lead pilot in his squadron he was supposedly shot down over Munster, Germany, Mar 23, 1945 while on his final mission prior to leaving for the United States. Three of his crew of 12 reportedly have been accounted for.
Surviving Captain Boone are his father, of Manchester, one brother, First Lt. Howard Boone, Minneapolis, Minn; his stepmother, Mrs. Ivan G Boone of this city; and his grandmother, Mrs. Luella Boone, Manchester. Captain Bone's mother, the former Nellie Davis of Manchester, died six years ago while serving as postmaster of Delaware.
Source: The Courier, Waterloo IA - March 29, 1946 (photo included)
William Elmer Boone was born Sept. 14, 1921 to Ivan G. and Nellie I. Davis Boone. He died Mar. 23, 1945 and is buried in Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupre, Belgium.
Capt. Boone served in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps 566th Bomber Squadron, 390th Bomber Group, Heavy and was KIA in the European area. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart and Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters.
Source: ancestry.com
