Wilbur Russell “Mickey” Welch was born 9 January 1920 to Reid Russell Welch and Sybil Pearl McCarroll. He married Clara Pauline Arnett on 23 April 1943 in Jellico, TN. He enlisted with the Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet on 14 July 1941 at Fort Oglethorpe in Georgia.
Captain Welch died 10 July 1943 and was initially buried at 11 Corps Cemetery Mateur, Tripolitania, Libya.
Buried at Knoxville National Cemetery, X, 54-B
Captain
320th Bomber Group, 443rd Bomber Squadron
The Knoxville Journal, December 11, 1941
Cadet Wilbur R. Welch of Oakdale was a graduate at Randolph Field in Texas.
Captain Wilbur R. “Mickey” Welch served on B-26 A/C 41-18195, named the “Feather Merchant”. The plane was badly damaged by flak over the target. Captain Welch died when the bomber hit a house while attempting to land on the island of Pantelleria.
The Knoxville Journal, February 10, 1942
Wilbur R. Welch, Oakdale, has been graduated from the Ellington Field, Texas flying school, the world’s largest Multi-motor flying school, and he has been commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps.
- Rank: Captain
- Date of birth: 9 January 1920
- Date of death: 10 July 1943
- County: Morgan
- Hometown: Oakdale
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 320th Bomber Group, 443rd Bomber Squadron
- Conflict: World War II
- Burial/Memorial Location: Knoxville National Cemetery, Knoxville, TN
- Location In Memorial: Pillar XVI, Middle Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Wilbur R. Welch
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