Studiegroep Luchtoorlog 1939-1945

						Sgt. William Kearney Meyer was the nose gunner of B-24 Liberator 41-28932 ‘Ramblin Wreck I’. The bomber was shot down by German fighters on the return flight from a bombing mission to Vechta airfield. Meyer managed to bail out and landed somewhere near Steenwijk. Meyer managed to evade capture for an unknown period. According to some sources he was picked up by the Dutch resistance shortly after the crash. On 16 August he is reported to have been in the house of probably Jan Kiezenbrink at Onnastraat 37 in Steenwijk. Here he met the bombardier, Robert G. 2/Lt. Borst (E0632) and the pilot, 2/Lt. Robert W. Harrington (E0633) again. Because it was too risky to keep th three together, only Harrington stayed on this address. Meyer moved out to an unknown place. He also listed as being helped by the 'Groep Meppel'. It's clear that he was eventually captured. On a Luftwaffe-document of 21 August he is already mentioned as being taken prisoner. On 9 September 1944 he is reported as being incarcarated in Dulag Luft in Frankfurt (together with his crew members 2/Lt. James E. Miller and S/Sgt. Louis Palermo). Afterwards he was taken to PoW camp Stalag Luft 4 near Gross-Tychow.