By Deborah Larsen
William Sinclair Barnes
William Sinclair Barnes was born in Detroit, Michigan, on February 3, 1922, the son of Harold and Christina Sinclair Barnes. William grew up in Avon Township and attended Rochester High School, graduating in the class of 1939. He continued his education at Lawrence Institute of Technology.
In March 1942, William enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces. He trained as a pilot and was stationed at Victorville Army Air Field in California. On May 23, 1943, William was piloting a Beechcraft AT-11 trainer when his aircraft collided with another AT-11 over San Bernardino County and crashed. William and the three members of his crew were killed in the accident.
William Sinclair Barnes died at age 21 on May 23, 1943, and was laid to rest in Mount Avon Cemetery.