William T. Urban
Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces

In June 1944, Second Lieutenant William T. Urban was serving as a co-pilot with the 756th Bomb Squadron, 459th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 304th Bombardment Wing, 15th Air Force, based at Giulia Airfield, Italy. The 459th Bombardment Group flew B-24 Liberator bombers on missions in Italy, France, the Balkans, Austria and Germany.

On 13 June 1944, 2LT Urban was the co-pilot of B-24G Liberator bomber Serial Number 42-78221 named ‘Exasperating Gezaborator’ that had, 10 minutes earlier, successfully bombed the mission target; an aircraft factory at Munich, Germany. The aircraft had a crew of 10.

A B-24 pilot of the 758th Squadron, 1LT Charles M. Simpson, was flying in the Number 4 position of ‘A’ Flight and 2LT Max J. Babb, pilot of aircraft SN 42-78307 of the 758th Squadron, was in the Number 5 position, which was to the rear and right of 1LT Charles M. Simpson’s aircraft. 1LT Simpson stated that he observed another ship, from a different Flight, fly into position below 2LT Babb’s aircraft and, due to its identification symbols, 1LT Simpson knew the plane was from the 756th Squadron. That plane, Exasperating Gezaborator was flying slightly to the front and lower than 2LT Babb’s aircraft, when it suddenly swerved up and crashed into 2LT Babb’s plane. Although they had experienced intense, accurate flak over the target and heavy attacks by enemy fighters, neither was in evidence at the time of the collision. Both aircraft SN 42-78307 and Exasperating Gezaborator were severely damaged and broke up almost immediately after contact. 1LT Simpson saw 3 parachutes emerge from the wreckage but could not verify from which aircraft they came.

Eight members of the Exasperating Gezaborator’s crew were killed in action, two survived the crash and served as POWs in German prison camps.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Purple Heart
Air Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Army Air Forces Aircrew Badge

B-24G Liberator Bomber Serial Number 42-78221 named Exasperating Gezaborator had the following crew on 13 June 1944.

● Pilot: 2LT Larry L. Tassin [Honoree Record ID 308193] KIA
● Co-Pilot: 2LT William T. Urban [Honoree Record ID 115518] KIA
● Navigator: 2LT George E. Kiesler [Honoree Record ID 308194] KIA
● Bombardier: 2LT William F. Pfeiffer [Honoree Record ID 308195] KIA
● Engineer/Gunner: SGT Bernard J. McClain [Honoree Record ID 308196] KIA
● Radio Operator: SGT John P. Gardner [Honoree Record ID 308197] POW
● Left Waist Gunner: CPL Eugene H. Greene [Honoree Record ID 108733] KIA
● Right Waist Gunner: CPL Milton G. Handelsman [Honoree Record ID 308198] POW
● Ball Turret Gunner: SGT Philip W. Cary [Honoree Record ID 308199] KIA
● Gunner: CPL John W. Pribbenow [Honoree Record ID 308200] KIA

Burial

Second Lieutenant William T. Urban is buried at the Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint-Avold, Departement de la Moselle, Lorraine, France in Plot C, Row 5, Grave 36.

[The information in this biography was derived primarily from various sections of the 459th Bombardment Group website at http://www.459bg.org/ and permission was granted for its use.]