William Joseph Devenney

Sergeant William Joseph Devenney (33367015) served in 3rd Combat Crew Replacement Center, 8th United States Army Air Force during the Second World War. Born on 17th February 1922, he was the son of Joseph Devenney- of Mauch Chunk, Carbon County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

In civilian life, William worked as a brakeman for the Central Railroad Company of New Jersey on the Leigh and Susquehanna Division line between Mauch Chunk and Easton. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on 9th December 1942 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. William had two older brothers who both served and survived the Second World War. Private John P. Devenney (13069632) born in 1915 enlisted on 17th March 1942, and Private James A. Devenney (32499358) born in 1920 enlisted on 10th September 1942.

Following initial training in the United States of America, Devenney shipped out to Northern Ireland, joining No. 3 Combat Crew Replacement Center at Toome Airfield, Co. Antrim.

Sergeant Devenney died on 10th April 1944 while serving as an air gunner on B-26B #41-18150 “Winnie Dee”. The plane crashed on Chimney Rock Mountain in The Mourne Mountains near Newcastle, Co. Down. The crew was on a gunnery training flight from Toome Airfield, Co. Antrim, and flying at a low level in cloud when the incident took place. All 5 crew members died as a result. Two other Marauder aircraft on the same non-operational flight returned safely.

Burial first took place at Plot B, Row 2, Grave 8 of Lisnabreeny American Military Cemetery, Belfast on 20th April 1944. Exhumation from Lisnabreeny took place on 11th November 1947. On 21st September 1948, Devenney was repatriated to Plot D, Row 2, Grave 100 of Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridgeshire, England. His name is on the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Mauch Chunk, Carbon County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.