https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56315488/william-hughes-wagner

Son of Mrs. Virginia E. Wagner who resided in Elmhurst, Illinois.

William served as a First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

He resided in DuPage County, Illinois prior to the war.

William was a passenger on C-54E #44-9078 traveling from Cairo, Egypt on a flight to Rome, Italy.

C-54E #44-9078, which was part of the 1304th Base Unit, took off with a crew of 8 and 30 passengers from Payne Field, Cairo, Egypt on a personnel transport mission to Rome, Italy. The pilot discovered a fire under his seat & tried to extinguish it however the cockpit became so full of fumes and smoke that they had to abandon ship. They crashed in the Gulf of Salerno off the coast of Italy after World War II had ended.

Eight of those on the flight were able to bail-out and survived. The remains of Seven others were found. The rest were not recovered.

William, who was one of the seven whose remains were recovered, was killed in the "Line Of Duty" in this crash.

Service # O-869313

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**Crew that perished on C-54E #44-9078: **(MACR 16085) 1 June 1946

Crew that survived:

CO-PILOT 1st LT Robert Keyes 0-820032
RADIO OPERATOR SSGT Stanley E Moore 11024394
ENGINEER MSGT Edward L Ignotis 11040785
Flight Traffic Clerk PFC Ralph H Parker 31438965

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Passengers that perished on C-54E #44-9078:

Cirelli, Benjamin ~ Tech/3, NY 42076888 Fold3 Fold3
Copher, William A, Jr ~ Tech/4, TX 38549942 Fold3 Profile
Cornett, Warren G ~ Maj, CO 0-567751 Fold3
Hookaylo, Morton A ~ S/Sgt, NJ 42106432 Fold3
Isbell, Benjamin B ~ 1st Lt, TN 0-552490 Fold3
Keefe, William F ~ Maj, MA 0-920810 Fold3
Kostolansky, Joseph L ~ T/Sgt, PA 33810153 Fold3
Laraux, Arthur ~ S/Sgt, AK 39951417 Fold3 Fold3
Levinsky, Jacob C ~ CWO, NJ W-2123308 Fold3 Fold3
Lindblom, Donald O, Jr ~ 1st Lt, MN 0-874835 Fold3
Luna, Cipriano V ~ Tech/4, TX 38678603 Fold3
Lytle, Joseph T ~ Capt, PA O1051267 Fold3
Monahan, William T ~ Civilian Pan American Airlines https://www.fold3.com/page/653611311/william-t-monahan Fold3
O'Gara, Martin J ~ Capt, Chaplain, DC 0-520710 Fold3
Palmer, William M, II ~ 1st Lt, DE 0-1593738 Fold3
Paul, Louis F ~ Tech/3, AK 39950510 Fold3
Protopappas, Charles D ~ T/Sgt, UT 39932630 Fold3
Rhodes, Charles L ~ Civilian Pan American Airlines Fold3
Reznik, Louis A ~ WTC, Navy 2504184 Fold3
Schweitzer, George F ~ S/Sgt, NY 42052899 Fold3
Simpkins, Troy C ~ Tech/5, MS 34936865 Fold3
Slaven, Victor J ~ T/Sgt, NC 44018305 Fold3
Stanger, John D ~ S/Sgt, IA 37750645 Fold3
Stovall, Cary O ~ 1st Lt, TN 0-4062790 Fold3
Wagner, William H ~ 1st Lt, IL 0-869313 Fold3
Wheeler, Cody H ~ 1st Lt, TX 0-1596765 Fold3

Passengers that Survived

Bio, Crew Report, & Passenger Listing by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett

William H Wagner