Lieutenant WILLIAM F. MARKHAM, O-689077  Army Air Forces KIA.

Lieutenant WILLIAM F. MARKHAM, O-689077  Army Air Forces KIA. Son of William Franklin and Jewell L. Murray Markham of Vivian. He was born June 7, 1921. A graduate of Vivian High School, he was employed by Arkansas Louisiana Gas Company and United Gas Company. He entered the Army Air Forces October 20, 1942, in New Orleans Louisiana at the age of 21. He served at San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center, San Antonio, Garner Field, Uvalde, Texas; Goodfellow Field, San Angelo, Texas ; Brooks Field, San Antonio; Clovis Army Air Base, New Mexico ; Salt Lake City Army Air Base, Utah; Langley Field, Norfolk, Virginia, and Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York. After cadet training for pilot, he served as a pilot on a B-24. On December 20, 1943, he embarked for North Africa (ETO), going from there to Italy. He served as pilot in the 740th Bomb squadron, 455th Bomb group, 15th Air Force. He was also athletic director for his squadron, mail censor and paymaster. He was awarded a citation for the best pilot in his graduation class (43-H) at Brooks Field, the Air Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Soldier’s Medal, and Purple Heart Medal (PHM), awarded posthumously and received by his mother May 1, 1944. Lieutenant Markham was returning from a bombing mission over Germany when engine trouble forced him down over the Adriatic Sea. He was killed in action March 19, 1944, at the age of 22, and was interred in Bari, Italy.

 

Source:

1- THE FIGHTING MEN OF LOUISIANA – LOUISIANA HISTORICAL INSTITUTE – 1946

2- US Headstone and Interment records for US Military.