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'''John Rufus Williams''' (born [[February 19]], [[1894]] in Sheffield; died [[November 14]], [[1918]] at the Old Sarum Airfield near Salisbury, Wiltshire, England) was a sergeant in the 216th Aero Service Squadron during [[World War I]].
'''John Rufus Williams''' (born [[February 19]], [[1894]] in Sheffield; died [[November 14]], [[1918]] at the Old Sarum Airfield near Salisbury, Wiltshire, England) was a sergeant in the 216th Aero Service Squadron during [[World War I]].


Williams was one of seven children of Thomas M. and Ida Williams, who later moved to [[Irondale]]. By [[1917]] John lived on [[10th Avenue South]] in [[Birmingham]] and worked as a department manager and buyer for the [[Porter Clothing Co.]] at 1922 [[1st Avenue North (Downtown)|1st Avenue North]].
Williams was one of seven children of Thomas M. and Ida Williams, who later moved to [[Irondale]]. By [[1917]] John lived on [[10th Avenue South]] in [[Birmingham]] and worked as a department manager and buyer for the [[Porter's|Porter Clothing Co.]] at 1922 [[1st Avenue North (Downtown)|1st Avenue North]].


Williams registered for the U.S. Army in June [[1917]] and was formally enlisted in December. He was described as being of medium height and medium build with blue eyes and thinning dark brown hair. The 216th Aero Squadron was organized in January 1918 at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas under First Lieutenant Thomas B. Lyons. The squadron was stationed to Garden City and Mitchel Field in New York and the Port of Entry in Hoboken, New Jersey that March. The unit was sent overseas as part of the American Expeditionary Forces in July of that year.
Williams registered for the U.S. Army in June [[1917]] and was formally enlisted in December. He was described as being of medium height and medium build with blue eyes and thinning dark brown hair. The 216th Aero Squadron was organized in January 1918 at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas under First Lieutenant Thomas B. Lyons. The squadron was stationed to Garden City and Mitchel Field in New York and the Port of Entry in Hoboken, New Jersey that March. The unit was sent overseas as part of the American Expeditionary Forces in July of that year.

Revision as of 13:45, 31 December 2019

John R. Williams

John Rufus Williams (born February 19, 1894 in Sheffield; died November 14, 1918 at the Old Sarum Airfield near Salisbury, Wiltshire, England) was a sergeant in the 216th Aero Service Squadron during World War I.

Williams was one of seven children of Thomas M. and Ida Williams, who later moved to Irondale. By 1917 John lived on 10th Avenue South in Birmingham and worked as a department manager and buyer for the Porter Clothing Co. at 1922 1st Avenue North.

Williams registered for the U.S. Army in June 1917 and was formally enlisted in December. He was described as being of medium height and medium build with blue eyes and thinning dark brown hair. The 216th Aero Squadron was organized in January 1918 at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas under First Lieutenant Thomas B. Lyons. The squadron was stationed to Garden City and Mitchel Field in New York and the Port of Entry in Hoboken, New Jersey that March. The unit was sent overseas as part of the American Expeditionary Forces in July of that year.

The 216th trained as a bombing squadron, using a variety of single-engine biplanes. Sergeant Williams died in a training collision between two Avro 504K trainers at the Old Sarum Airfield on November 14. Williams was serving as an observer in an aircraft piloted by Royal Air Force Lieutenant Ian Mees. It collided with another plane, piloted by RAF Captain Claude Abell and the two planes both fell to the earth in flames. Canadian Cadet George Oliver was badly injured, but survived the crash.

Williams was initially buried in a plot near the airfield. The survivors from Williams' unit left from Liverpool aboard the Orca and Mauretania in November 1919, bound for New York Harbor. In March 1920 Williams' remains were repatriated and he was reburied at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

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