Grand Island in Erie County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
William S. Gillen
January 1, 1917 - July 28, 1943
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 4, 2022
1. William S. Gillen Marker
Second Lieutenant (2nd Lt.) William Gillen was employed by an electrical machine manufacturer and was married in 1938. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942, trained at the Enid, Oklahoma Army Flying School and received orders to the South Pacific in February 1943.
2nd Lt. Gillen served in the 35th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, US Army Air Force. On July 28, 1943, he piloted a test flight from Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, in a P-39 Aircobra and crashed into the sea at Paga Point.
2nd Lt. Gillen was posthumously awarded the Air Medal for meritorious achievement while participating in operational flight missions.
2nd Lt. Gillen is one of 36,286 names listed on the Wall of The Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines. His son was born five weeks after his death.
Erected 2021 by Grand Island VFW Memorial Post 9249, Grand Island American Legion and Grand Island Moose Lodge 180.
Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Patriots & Patriotism • War, World II. A significant historical month for this entry is February 1943.
Location. 43° 1.545′ N, 78° 57.97′ W. Marker is on Grand Island, New York, in Erie County. Memorial is at the intersection of Grand Island Boulevard
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Edward P. Pierce (here, next to this marker); Charles N. DeGlopper (here, next to this marker); Howard W. Salton (here, next to this marker); George E. Smith (here, next to this marker); Eugene F. Dinsmore (here, next to this marker); Francis K. Goodchild (here, next to this marker); Charles A. Smith (here, next to this marker); William L. Rohde (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Grand Island.
Also see . . . DeGlopper Memorial. (Submitted on May 8, 2022, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 4, 2022
2. Grand Island Roll of Honored Dead
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., May 4, 2022
3. Monument and Markers at the DeGlopper Memorial
Credits. This page was last revised on May 8, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 7, 2022, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 78 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 7, 2022, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
