Lemley in France With P-38 Group
Second Lt. William H. Lemley, Waterloo, is pictured above at the controls of his P-38 Lightning fighter plane based in France with a Ninth air force group which is at present bombing targets along the Siegfried line and the west wall. Lieutenant Lemley, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Lemley, 1302 South street, is a veteran of over 45 mission in France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. (Photo from Ninth Air Force Headquarters.)
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Tuesday, November 07, 1944, Page 3 (photo included)
Service News
William H. Lemley, son of Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Lemley of 1302 South street, serving with the Ninth air force in France, has been promoted from second to first lieutenant, it was learned Friday by his parents.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Friday, December 01, 1944, Page 6
Pilot Waits Long Time
for Nazi No. 1
First Lt. William H. Lemley, Waterloo, had flown 67 missions from the Normandy beaches to German occupied country but it remained until No. 67 before he was able to tangle with a Nazi plane and shoot it down to score his first “victory,” a censorship dispatch received here revealed.
A veteran of air engagements in France, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and German, Lieutenant Lemley was leading his squadron of P-38s in an armed reconnaissance mission near Triers, Germany, in search of Nazi tanks when a force of German F 190s swooped down to attack them, the release stated.
“Our squadron was flying at 10,000 feet when the Jerries came in,” he is quoted as saying. “We turned into them and started firing. I caught one with machine gun fire and it must have killed the pilot for both pilot and plane crashed into the ground.”
He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank H. Lemley, 1302 South street.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Wednesday, January 31, 1945, Page 5
Lt. Lemley Is Missing
Mr. and Mrs. Frank H. Lemley, 1308 South street, late Tuesday received a war department telegram informing them that their son, First Lt. William H. Lemley, 28, has been missing in action over Germany since Jan. 22.
Lieutenant Lemley recently completed 67 missions as squad leader of a group of P-38 fighter planes, and has last written his parents on Dec. 31 that he had just returned to his Ninth Air Force base in France after a week’s rest in England.
A former employe (sic) of the Rath Packing Co., he entered service in October, 1941, received his commission at Williams field, Chandler, Aiz., in November, 1943, and has been overseas 11 months.
His brother, Staff Sgt. Paul Lemley, is now in a hospital at Ft. Benning, Ga., after serving nearly three years overseas with the 34th division.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Wednesday, February 07, 1945, Page 1
W. H. Lemley Dead;
Had Been Missing
First Lt. William H. Lemley, 23, who was previously reported missing in action over Germany since Jan. 22, Wednesday was listed as killed in action on that date, according to a war department telegram received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank H. Lemley, 1302 South street.
He had recently completed 67 missions as squad leader of a group of P-38 fighter planes, and had last written his parents on Dec. 31 that he had just returned to his Ninth air force base in France after a week’s rest in England.
A former employe (sic) of the Rath Packing Co., he enlisted in the costal artillery in October, 1941, transferred to the air corps early in 1943, and received his commission at Williams field, Ariz., in November, 1943. He had been overseas a year and was holder of the Air Medal.
Born Oct. 5, 1916, near Dunkerton, he moved with his parents to Dewar, Ia., in 1919, and to Waterloo in 1935.
Surviving besides his parents are two brothers, Lloyd A., Route 5, and Tech. Sgt. Paul, who just arrived home after receiving a medical discharge from the army following 31 months duty overseas with the 34th division; and three sisters, Mrs. Geraldine Hummel, 2209 West Fourth street, Mrs. Julia Barron, Route 5, and Mrs. Pearl Bunce, Bridgeport, Conn.
His fiancée, Miss Margaret Elliott, resides at 124 Courtlandt street.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Wednesday, March 21, 1945, Page 5 (photo included)
Lemley Rites to Be Friday
Funeral services will be Friday at 2 p. m. for First Lt. William H. Lemley, 28, of 1302 South street, who was killed in action Jan. 22, 1945, in Germany.
Services will be at Parrott & Wood funeral home with Rev. Gilbert S. Cox, pastor of First Methodist church, officiating. Burial will be in Elmwood cemetery. Full military rites will be conducted at the graveside.
The body is scheduled to arrive Wednesday at 5:10 p. m. from Chicago.
Lt. Lemley was first reported missing but his death was later confirmed.
He was born Oct. 5, 1916, near Dunkerton, Ia., and moved with his parents to Dewar, Ia., in 1919 and to Waterloo in 1935.
Surviving are his parents, two brothers, Lloyd A., Route 5; Paul, 1501 Williston avenue; three sisters, Mrs. Geraldine Hummell, 2209 West Fourth street; Mrs. Julia Barron, Route 5; and Mrs. Pearl Bunce, 128 West Eighth street.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, Waterloo, Iowa, Tuesday, May 03, 1949, Page 3
