TSGT William J. Mears, Knox, ND, WWII, ASN 37282895, 44th Bomb Group, 506th Bomb Squadron, Shipdham AB, England who was engineer and top turret gunner on the B-24 bomber, Swanson Crew, âWicked Witchâ that was shot down on 14 May 1943, on a mission to Kiel, Germany. Sgt. Mears was KIA, but apparently was not wounded when he bailed out of his aircraft. The 44th lost 5 out of 21 aircraft on the mission.