Not much is known about William J. Condon. He was from Cook county, Illinois, probably from Chigaco. He was a pilot on B-17 bombers with the 351st Bomb Group, operating out of Polebrook, Northamptonshire, England.

2Lt Condon and his crew arrived at 351st as a replacement crew. He flew his first mission on 11 May 1944, against the railroad marshalling yards at Luxembourg City. Two days later he flew again, and bombed a construction engineering Plant at Stettin, Germany.

On 19 May his Bomb Group bombed the city of Berlin and on the 25th of May they attacked the Marshalling yards at Metz, France.

On 28 May 1944, 2Lt Condon and his crew were scheduled to fly on a mission to Dessau.

351st Bomb Group

508th Bomber Squadron

2Lt Condon's crew was made up of the following crew members:
Lt. William J. Condon, pilot
Lt. Joseph P. Kolceski, co-pilot
Lt. Laddie J. Zindar,  navigator
Lt. Edwin S. Onken, Bombardier
Sgt. John J. Jackson, Top Turret Gunner
S/Sgt. William H. Morris, Radio Operator
Sgt. Charles G. Jenkins, Ball Turret Gunner
Sgt. Harry M. Norris, Left Waist Gunner
S/Sgt. Junny O. Jackson, Tail Gunner

All had flown their first four missions together. The gunners alternating between positions during th efirst few mission. This was to be Harry Norris his first mission.

Their B-17 was shot down by fighters and crashed near Waldau, Germany. Onken, John Jackson and Morris survived to become PoWs. The rest of the crew died in the crash.

Of the crew, only 2Lt Condon is buried at Margraten. Lt Zindar is buried at Calvary Cemetery, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. The resting place of the others are not known at this time.

2Lt William J. Condon is buried at Margraten American Cemetery, Plot M Row 21 Grave 12.

Margraten, The Netherlands

See also:

Other casualties of the 351st Bomb Group buried in The Netherlands

Acknowledgments:

Ken Harbour's 351st Bomb Group
351st Bomb Group Association website

Directions to Margraten American Military Cemetery

Posted 22 February 2010



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This website is dedicated to the men and women who died and/or are buried in The Netherlands during World War II.

 

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