44-39287

 

On 8 November 1944, a C-87 Express Liberator, # 44-39287, assigned to 10th Air Force, Indi-China Wing, 1330th AAF Base Unit, departed the airfield at Jorhat, India, on a cargo mission to Chengtu, China, through the Himalayan mountain range (the Hump). The crew was:

                                            Pilot                             1stLt William S. Gwin                          0-794224

                                            Co-Pilot                       1stLt Arthur E. Walton                        0-515880

                                            Radio Operator            PFC Albert (NMI) Schuller                 12150844

                                            Crew Chief                  TSgt James E. Allan                             6366727

The next-of-kin listed were:

                                      Gwin               James C. Gwin, F, 2301 Clarendon Ave., Bessemer, Alabama

                                      Walton             Dorothy J. Walton, W, 616 Wayne St., Dallas, TX

                                      Allan                Dixie M. Allan, W, 4101 Poplar Springs Drv, Meridian, Mississippi

                                      Schuller           Sophie Schuller, W, 40 Bristol St., Brooklyn, NY

GWIN, WILLIAM SPEIR, First Lieutenant, # 0-794224, USAAF

 

William S. Gwin was born on 1 January 1920 in Alabama to Judge James Chesley Bird Gwin (1878-1952) and Emma Corinth (Bentley) Gwin (1887-1931) and (step-mother) “Hattie” Head J.C. Bentley Gwin (1888-1976). Siblings included James Bentley Gwin (1911-1992), Mortimer Platte Gwin (1915-1982), Dorothy Nell (Gwin) Phares (1916-1963), William Spier Gwin (1920-1944), Emma Kathryn (Gwin) Bryan (1923-1992) and Walter Gene Gwin (1925-2001). Living with them in 1930 were maternal uncle and aunt, James Wiley Jones (1892-1951) and Bernice Bentley Jones (1892-1957). He graduated from Howard College. He was married to Selina Faircloth Baker (1921-2016) on 4 September 1944 in Springfield, Teccessee.

 

He registered for the WWII draft on 1 July 1941, employed by the Bessemer Rulling Mills, resided at 2301 Clsedau Ave., Bessemer, AL, and described himself as 5’ 9 ½”, 142 lbs, with brown hair and blue eyes. He enlisted in the USAAF as an aviation cadet in Montgomery, Alabama, on 26 January 1942. After enlisting in the USAAF, he completed flight instruction through advanced schools and was multi-engine rated. He earned his commission and pilot wings. He was sent overseas to India. On 8 November 1944, a C-87, # 44-39287, assigned to 10th Air Force, Indi-China Wing, 1330th AAF Base Unit, departed the airfield at Jorhat, India, on a cargo mission to Chengtu, China, through the Himalayan mountain range (the Hump). He is remembered on the tablets of the missing in the Manila American Cemetery & Memorial, Philippines. A memorial marker was placed in the Cedar Hill Cemetery, Bessemer, Jefferson Co., Alabama.