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William Ray Proffitt

Corporal William R. Proffitt was a Marine aviator who flew with VMSB-232.
His aircraft was lost in a storm near Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 6 September 1942.

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Branch

Marine Corps Regular
Service Number 311714

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

Current Status

Remains Not Recovered

Pursuit Category

The DPAA has not publicized this information.

Capsule History

Pre-War Life

Birth

February 11, 1923
at Roscoe, TX

Parents

William Roscoe Proffitt
Essie Odell (Gotcher) Proffitt
later Mrs. Essie Tutt

Education

Details unknown

Occupation & Employer

Details unknown

Service Life

Entered Service

May 31, 1941
at Dallas, TX

Home Of Record

Roscoe, TX

Next Of Kin

Mother, Mrs. Essie Tutt

Military Specialty

Aviation Radioman / Gunner

Primary Unit

VMSB-232

Campaigns Served

Solomon Islands / Guadalcanal

Individual Decorations

Purple Heart

Additional Service Details

Loss And Burial

Circumstances Of Loss

Corporal William Proffitt served in VMSB-232 as a rear-seat man, operating an aircraft radio and a .30-caliber machine gun. He frequently flew with Second Lieutenant Charles B. McAllister; together, they participated in strikes against Japanese ground troops on the ‘Canal, and shipping near Ramos Island.

On 7 September 1942, Major Fletcher L. Brown, Jr. led a division of dive bombers in a strike on Japanese harbor installations on Gizo in the western Solomons. No aircraft were lost in the attack, but a “violent rain squall” blew in on the return flight. The formation, flying at just 200′ altitude, broke apart as each pilot tried to make his own way through the storm. One aircraft was seen to crash, and another disappeared in the gloom. The bomber carrying McAllister and Proffitt (SBD-3 BuNo 03342 or 03379) never returned Henderson Field.

Both men were declared dead on 7 September 1943.

Burial Information or Disposition

None reported; wreck site not found.

Next Of Kin Address

Address of mother, Mrs. Essie Tutt.

Location Of Loss

McAllister and Proffitt were lost on a return flight from Gizo to Guadalcanal. Exact location is not known.

Related Profiles

Pilots and aircrew of VMSB-232 lost in the Guadalcanal campaign.
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0 thoughts on “William R. Proffitt”

  1. Charles S. Pipes MSgt. USMC Retired

    Born ten years after the war, my memories of my uncle, were based on his photo over my Grandmother’s mantle and her stories. She still had his medals and the letter from the CO of VMSB 232.

    She told us grandkids the story of how my uncles, William Ray and Jay Vee, had talked her into falsifying their ages to get jobs with the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). They would both uses these documents later to enlist underage. Jay Vee survived the war having went into the Army where he ended up as a tanker with Patton.
    Many years later I would make contact with the survivors of the campaign thru there reunion address. One of the memories they told me was of packing up his belongings to mail home. He was remembered as being short in height and a boxer.

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