Billy had flown 27 missions against Japanese targets serving as radio-operator on a B-29 super fortress from base in the Marianas.  On June 5, 1945, he had been on a mission over Kobe, Japan with 600 superforts information, when two Japanese suicide planes attacked his ship.  The tail was completely knocked off and the nose badly damaged.  Billy (William) was one of the 5 that bailed out before the plane went down.  According to his companions, Lower’s parachute opened.  However, when a submarine gave rescue about three miles off the Japanese mainland, he was missing.