William Wesley Lammey was born on May 28, 1920 to Robert and Miriam Seiders Lammey who lived at 100 S. 6^th Ave, Coatesville, Pennsylvania.  His mother was a Nursery School teacher. (She became a furnace operator at Lukens Steel Company to help in the war effort.) William was the oldest of five children: Mildred, William, Robert F., Kenneth, and Joan.

During the Great Depression, the family lost their home, and moved from house to house, often having to rent smaller homes.  William lived with his grandparents Wesley and Katharine Lammey (Katherine was his Paternal Grandmother), at 755 East Main St.  His grandparents operated a home laundry business, well known in Coatesville.

William attended the old Coatesville High School on Main St. between 5^th and 6^th and Avenues (today used by the Coatesville School District Administration).  William was on the basketball team 1937-39, soccer 36-38, and the Varsity Club in 39.  He was in the high schools Commercial Course of studies and graduated in the Class of 1939.   He is described in the yearbook as a sportsy, nonchalant, a Ham, Gymnast and Arthur Treacher.

Arthur Treacher’s was a popular fish and chips restaurant on Lincoln Highway just east of town.

William was a member of the Lutheran Church of Our Saviour at 5^th and Chestnut Streets (later merged with the Trinity Lutheran Church, then became the Church of the Good Shepard).  He was also a member of the Coatesville Lodge of Eagles at 1^st and Chestnut Streets, and of the Washington Fire Company, on Main Street, across from the YMCA.

William obtained employment at Lukens Steel, working in their machine shop.  He was engaged to Violet Shade, a nurse who worked at Coatesville Hospital.  William was a prominent baseball player and started a baseball team called the Atigens.

William was drafted into the Army Air Corps in April 1943.  He received basic training, and additional training as an aircraft ground crewman in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania; Atlantic City, New Jersey; and was stationed in North Dakota and North Carolina. William was assigned to the 710^th Training Squadron.  The 710^th Bomb Squadron became a part of the 447^th Bombardment Group.  William talked often of his desire to transfer to flying duty.

Corporal William Wesley Lammey Died Non Battle in an aircraft crash over Corsica, on August 17, 1944.

His mother received a War Department telegram on Thursday, August 31^st, that their son was fatally injured.

A Memorial service was held on Sunday evening, September 10^th at the Lutheran Church of Our Saviour.  The Reverend Robert E. Olson, pastor, conducted the service.  He spoke from Matthew 6:10, “Thy Will Be Done”. J. Irvie Hoffman, secretary of the Coatesville YMCA also spoke in honor of William.

William was buried locally at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery in Nettuno, Italy, where Hero Charles Henck was buried. 

In 1948 William was disinterred to be repatriated to his home country.  Services were held at the Gensemer Funeral Home at 10^th Ave. and Main St.  The Reverend Glenn G. Neubauer, pastor, conducted the service.  William was buried at the Fairview Cemetery on Oak Street in Coatesville.

William’s brother Kenneth served in the Navy, his brother Robert served in the Army and was a prisoner of war, captured by the Germans. (Downingtown Ledger Columnists Joe D’Angelo interviewed William’s brother Robert in 2003.)