Charles William “Billy” Cloyd was born on 30 September 1925 in Johnson City, Washington County, Tennessee. Son of James Earl Cloyd and Lake Catherine Strong.
Finding of Death date 7 November 1944
Memorialized at Manila American Cemetery, the Philippines
He also has a memorial stone in Roselawn Memory Gardens/Johnson City, TN (section: Garden of The Last Supper)
Aircraft B-24J-41 with serial number 44-41345 was on a striking mission to Alicante Airdrome, Negros Island. On the initial pass made by the enemy fighters, A/P #345, flying in No. 7 position, was set on fire. Crew members of other airplanes in the formation observed fire within the bomb bay section of the Liberator. The crippled airplane remained with the formation for approximately one minute and at 1240, from 6,000 feet, one member was seen to bail out. The Liberator then began to spiral down to the left and other members of the crew began bailing out at 5,000 feet. Conflicting reports set the number of members bailing out as either eight or nine. All chutes were seen to open. The B-24 continued in its dive and struck the water and exploded. The aircraft crashed north of Mindanao Island, Philippines.
Statement from 2nd Lt Jerald E. Taylor
At about 1300 on November 7th, 1944, we were attacked by Zeros and set on fire. The men in the waist bailed out unobserved by me. On the flight deck the Navigator went first, followed by the Engineer. The Co-Pilot got out of his seat and went down to the cat-walk to wait for me. I stood up to leave and saw the nose gunner in his turret. I sat down and tried to call him on the interphone. The Co-Pilot bailed out. I saw the nose gunner center his turret and this indicated to me that he had heard me. The bomb bay was now burning up to the flight deck entrance. I then ran back and bailed out. I did not observe the nose gunner chute, but neither did I see the plane again until it hit the water which was just before I did. I saw of the three missing men after this.
Sgt Cloyd bailed out. Crewmembers believed that Sgt Cloyd was injured too badly to pull his ripcord or if so, could not make it to shore.
Crewmembers
Pilot, 2nd Lt Jerald E. Taylor
Co-Pilot, 2nd Lt Joseph J. Johovich
Navigator, 2nd Lt Milton C. Haynes
Bombardier, 2nd Lt William H. Wise
Engineer, Sgt Edward E. Tipton
AE, Sgt Donald O. Finch
Radio Operator, S/Sgt Frank Eades Jr.
AR, Sgt Charles W. Cloyd
Gunner, Sgt Robert M. Pesnell
Gunner, Sgt James McCourt
The Johnson City Press, 17 December 1944
Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Cloyd of 115 East Highland road have received a War Department notification that their son, Sgt. Charles W. (Bill) Cloyd, 19, has been reported missing in action in the South Pacific theater of operations since November 7. Sergeant Cloyd, gunner on a B-24 Liberator bomber, volunteered for Air Corps service in July, 1943, and was called to duty the following January 7. He had basic training at Miami Beach, Fla., going from there to Harlingen, Tex., for gunnery training and later to Fresno, Calif., and Walla Walla, Wash.
- Rank: Sergeant
- Date of birth: 30 September 1925
- Date of death: 7 November 1944
- County: Washington
- Hometown: Johnson City
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 72nd Bomber Squadron, 5th Bomber Group, Heavy
- Theater: Pacific
- Conflict: World War II
- Awards: Air Medal, Purple Heart
- Burial/Memorial Location: Manila American Cemetery, Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines
- Location In Memorial: Pillar XIX, Middle Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Charles W. Cloyd
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