An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

News & Stories
News | Jan. 6, 2017

Airman Missing From World War II Identified (Gray)

Army Air Forces 1st Lt. William J. Gray, missing from World War II, has now been accounted for.



On April 16, 1945, Gray was a member of the 391st Fighter Squadron, 366th Fighter Group and was the pilot of a single seat P-47D aircraft on a dive-bombing mission in the vicinity of Lindau, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany. His flight leader reported that after Gray strafed a truck, the left wing of his aircraft dipped into the trees, causing it to crash.



In October 1948, American Graves Registration Command (AGRC) investigators located the crash site and were able to correlate the site to Gray’s aircraft based on the serial numbers of four machine guns recovered at the site, which matched four machine guns on Gray’s aircraft. However, Gray’s remains were not recovered.



During investigations conducted in the Lindau area during a 2012 field investigation, Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (now DPAA) historians received leads about Gray’s loss. Based on information gathered during eyewitness interviews and local research, investigators recommended excavation of the Lindau site for the possible remains of Gray.



In April 2016, a DPAA recovery team excavated the crash site and recovered possible human remains. The remains were sent to the DPAA laboratory for analysis.



Laboratory analysis and circumstantial evidence were used in the identification of his remains.



Interment services are pending.


News Releases Archives

Public Affairs Contact Information


Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency PAO
Washington, D.C.
2300 Defense Pentagon
Attn: Outreach and Communications
Washington, D.C. 20301-2300
Email: dpaa.ncr.oc.mbx.public-affairs@mail.mil