Technical Sergeant William Frederick Cannon Jr. (from Arkansas) was a Tail Gunner assigned to the 413th Bombardment Squadron of the 96th Bombardment Group (Heavy), which flew the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress out of Snetterton Heath, England. He served with a dedicated 10-man flight crew in the Eighth Air Force. [1, 2, 3, 4]
If you are researching his specific crew, his Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) and the Group's Missing Air Crew Reports (MACR) are the best ways to trace his unit's mission logs and history. [1, 2]
The 96th Bomb Group Profile
Location: Snetterton Heath, Norfolk, England (Station 138)
Aircraft Flown: Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Squadron: 413th Bombardment Squadron
Mission Highlights: The 96th Bomb Group earned two Distinguished Unit Citations, notably during the intense Regensburg raid (August 1943) and an aircraft components strike in Poland (April 1944). [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Key Resources for Genealogical and Historical Research
To reconstruct the rest of William Cannon's crew list (Pilot, Co-Pilot, Navigator, Bombardier, Engineer, Radio Operator, Ball Turret Gunner, Waist Gunners) or view their mission logs, you can utilize these specific databases and records: [1]
Crew Rosters & Data: Search for his name or squadron on the Fold3 96th Bomb Group Collection to find specific microfilmed squadron diaries and mission reports.
Casualty Information: View Cannon's official casualty profile through Honor States.
Specialized Research Services: For heavily detailed MACR reports and individual flight rosters, you can submit an inquiry through WW2 Army Air Corps Unit Records Research or the Fields of Honor Database.
Museum Archives: Connect with historians overseas via the 96th Bomb Group Museum UK on Instagram for local English records and photos of the 413th Squadron.
