• Nov. 12, 1920 – Jan. 13, 1945
• Born in Spartanburg, South Carolina
• Engineering- 1940-1942
• Cheerleader
• Corporal – Army Air Corps
• Enlisted in 1942
• MIA/Declared dead.  Gunner on an A-20G-40. 386th Bomb Sq, 312th Bomb Grp. Ditched plane in Laguna de Bay after an in-flight friendly fire accident.
  • Bombing mission to Marikina outside of Manila
• Memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery at Manila, Philippines

William Lawrence Killian (Nov. 12, 1920 – Jan. 13, 1945) was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He attended the University of Tennessee from 1940 to 1942 for Engineering and was a member of UT’s cheerleading squad. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 and was trained as a corporal and gunner on Douglas A-20G-40 bombers. He was deployed to the Pacific Theater with the 386th Bomb Squadron of the 312th Bomb Group and took part in the Allied invasion to retake the Philippines. He went missing during a bombing mission on the city of Marikina outside of Manila when his plane was reportedly struck by another friendly bomber’s payload on January 13, 1945. Cpl. Killian’s plane then dropped out of formation and crashed in Laguna de Bay. Despite witnesses reporting that they had successfully ditched the plane, the crew was never found and declared killed in action. He is memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery in Manila, Philippines.

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