S/Sgt. William Fred Repass died non battle in the South Pacific. He was the son of James Winston Repass and Neva Blanche Elmore. He was a gunner in the Air Corps and was a passenger on the C-47-DL # 41-7733, nickname “Eager Beaver”.
His brother James Winston Repass died on 22 March 1945 in a plane crash near Pearl Harbor.
The C-47-DL Skytrain serial number 41-7733 ferried overseas via Hickam Field then across the Pacific to Australia. On August 7, 1943 at 5:00 am the plane took off from Garbutt Field at Townsville on a flight bound for Archerfield Airfield near Brisbane. Aboard were four crew and twenty three passenters. Twenty minutes after take off, the crashed into Cleveland Bay Southeast of Townsville. Everyone aboard died in the crash. After the crash, the remains of the crew and passengers were recovered. Postwar, the remains were transported to the United States for permanent burial.
Pilot, F/O Harold Gene Wilson
Co-Pilot, F/O Robert Wilson Forrest Jr.
Engineer, S/Sgt Robert J. Cielinski
Radio Operator, Cpl. David W. Markel
Passenger, M/Sgt Donald H. Arbogast
Passenger TSgt Delbert Braund
Passenger TSgt Leo W. Butcher,
Passenger TSgt Grant W. Caldwell
Passenger TSgt Andrew J. Crowley, Jr.
Passenger Sgt Herman R. Cummins
Passenger TSgt Rodney L. Dinneen
Passenger MSgt Arah L. Doolittle
Passenger TSgt Stephen D. Dzury
Passenger 1st Lt. Owen A. Hawver
Passenger TSgt Carl J. Huebner
Passenger TSgt Charles S. Hunter
Passenger MSgt Francis M. Lee
Passenger TSgt Laurence P. McKenna
Passenger TSgt Ezra E. Rapp
Passenger TSgt George A. Roberts
Passenger SSgt Wilmer R. Fowler
Passenger SSgt William F. Repass
Passenger Sgt Floyd M. Simpson
Passenger Cpl Venard H. Trebon
Passenger S/Sgt Charles W. Tuttle
Passenger S/Sgt Willard G. Van Patten
Passenger SSgt Charles J. Zahora
- Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Date of birth: 29 May 1913
- Date of death: 7 August 1943
- County: Jefferson
- Hometown: New Market
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 500th Bomber Squadron, 345th Bomber Group
- Theater: Pacific
- Conflict: World War II
- Burial/Memorial Location: New Market Cemetery, New Market, Jefferson County, TN
- Location In Memorial: Pillar XII, Middle Panel
- Contact us to sponsor William F. Repass
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