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SERGEANT WILLIAM F.
McCLAIN was born in Philadelphia Pa in 1920 to William M. and Ruth F.
McClain. When he was born, his father was working as an oyster salesman,
and his parents owned a home at 6013 Delancey Street in Philadelphia.
The McClain family was still in Philadelphia when a daughter, Eleanor, was born.
By 1930 the family owned a home at 113 Barlow Avenue in Delaware
Township NJ. Delaware Township has been known since 1961 as Cherry Hill.
The elder McClain was working as a bookkeeper by this time, but
was soon back in the wholesale fish business in Philadelphia. William F.
McClain graduated from Merchantville High School and worked in his
father's business, prior to enlisting in the United States Army in
January of 1942. He had been living on North Cove Road in Merchantville
at that point. William
McClain received training at Scott Field IL prior to going overseas in
August of 1942. He was stationed in the United Kingdom. Sergeant McClain
was listed as missing in action early in 1944, and a finding of death
was issued by the Army some time thereafter. He was survived by his
parents and sister. His death was reported in the evening edition of the
Camden Courier-Post on February 22, 1944. The
remains of Sergeant McClain and his crew were later recovered. They were
buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri on
January 13, 1950. |
