Utah family prepares to bury WWII pilot who was MIA for 80 years

PARK CITY, Utah (ABC4) — A Utah family is getting ready to lay to rest U.S. Army Air Forces 1st Lt. George Frank Wilson on the 81^st anniversary of his plane being shot down over France during WWII.  

Lt. Wilson, the pilot of a B-17G “Flying Fortress” bomber, was killed when his plane crashed in northern France after being hit by anti-aircraft fire on July 8, 1944. For 80 years, he was considered missing in action. Now, his family has some closure.   

Brian Frank Wilson, who shares the same middle name as his grandfather, told ABC4.com that even though he never met his grandfather, he feels close to him, especially now that the family knows what happened and is preparing to bury him on the 81st anniversary of his death and disappearance. 

“It’s like the stars are aligning, you know, it’s crazy,” Brian Wilson said. “I feel his soul. I feel there is a purpose to all of it.”  

Like the tides of war, a turning point is bringing relief to 1^st Lt. George F. Wilson’s descendants.

“When he fell out of formation, and everyone was bailing out, one of his closest friends, the engineer, lost his parachute,” Brian Wilson stated. “I guess Frank (Lt. Wilson) was still alive and gave him his parachute, the last one, and told him to get out.”  

Brian Wilson told ABC4.com that this happened on July 8, 1944. His grandfather, a young 22-year-old pilot, saved his crew after taking enemy fire.  

“They were certain he went down with the plane. It exploded. It was on fire, and that was the last of it,” he added. Then radio silence. In 1951, Wilson was declared non-recoverable. 

In 2018, the family would start to get some answers as to what happened to Lt. Wilson.  

“Eric Bornemeier, who we owe a ton of gratitude towards, married my cousin years ago,” Brian Wilson stated. “He’s in the military. He thought this was a cool story, and he went out and spearheaded a search to find George in this field in northern France. Lo and behold, they found him.”  

At least, they hoped it was him.  

“In July 2018, a member of Wilson’s family provided DPAA with new information about a potential crash site for Wilson’s aircraft,” explained the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. “One of Wilson’s family then traveled to Monchy-Cayeux and met three witnesses who remembered the crash.” 

The DPAA added: “In 2019, a DPAA investigation team visited Monchy-Cayeux and discovered a concentration of wreckage consistent with a B-17 at the site, which they then recommended for excavation.” 

It would take a few more years for all the questions to be answered.

“From Aug. 6-30, 2021, DPAA partner Colorado State University excavated the site and accessioned all recovered evidence into the DPAA laboratory,” DPAA explained. “They returned to the site for another excavation from July 25 to Aug. 13, 2022, finding additional evidence which was also accessioned into the DPAA laboratory.” 

Then, in 2024, the government reached out to Brian Wilson requesting a sample of his DNA.

“To identify Wilson’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis, as well as material evidence,” DPAA stated. “Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA, Y-chromosome DNA, and autosomal DNA analysis.” 

It was a match. “They said there’s a one in 84 billion chance it’s not him,” added Brian Wilson. “So pretty positive match it’s him, they said.” 

Lt. Wilson was considered accounted for on Nov. 21, 2024.

“Wilson’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at Normandy American Cemetery, in Colleville-sur-Mer, France, along with others still missing from WWII,” stated DPAA. “A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.” 

The family got a full government briefing about what happened to Lt. Wilson on May 15, 2025. At that time, Brian Wilson accepted medals, including a Purple Heart, on his grandfather’s behalf. “I just feel an immense amount of pride being his grandson,” he said. “After seeing and receiving those medals and reading the whole accounting, I’m just totally blown away.”  

On July 8, 2025, George F. Wilson will finally be laid to rest in Bountiful next to family.

“To have this all come around 81 years to the day, there’s something, there’s a higher source that’s in control,” Brian Wilson stated.