William (Bill)

My name is Tracey and I'm trying to help my mum find her biological father. She learned at age 11 that her mother had met an American GI stationed in Great Barr Birmingham, UK circa 1944. She had a brief relationship with him became pregnant but had no further contact with him. My mum was born in April 1945 so that would have put him there at least in July of 1944. We believe the base to be the Pheasey Estate as that was very close to where her mother lived. All she knows is his name was William (Bill) and we have this photo of him in his uniform. She has recently submitted DNA on Ancestry.co.uk and that has revealed that she has several DNA links with 3rd cousins living in the southern states of America specifically Tennessee and Mississippi. I've hit a brick wall and don't know where to go from here so any information on how we could potentially try and find out would be so appreciated.

Unfortunately, you have limited options. You only have a first name. Does your Mum know his unit/regiment? From the picture he was in the U.S. Army, Technician Fifth Grade.

United States Army enlisted rank insignia of World War II - Wikipedia

Technician Fifth Grade (abbreviated as T/5 or TEC 5) was a United States Army technician rank during World War II. Those who held this rank were addressed as Corporal. The wearers of the rank were often called "Tech Corporal". The pay grade number corresponded with the technician's grade. T/5 is under the pay grade 5 along with Corporal. Technicians were easily distinguished by the "T" imprinted on the standard chevron design for that pay grade.

Technicians in general
On January 8, 1942, under U.S. War Department Circular No. 5, the ranks of Technician Third Grade (T/3), Technician Fourth Grade (T/4), and Technician Fifth Grade (T/5) were created and replaced the existing specialist ranks. Initially, these ranks used the same insignia as the Staff Sergeant, Sergeant, and Corporal, but on September 4, 1942, change 1 to AR 600-35 added a "T" for "Technician" to the standard chevron design that corresponded with that grade. Despite that, as with the Specialists that they replaced, unofficial insignia using a specialty symbol instead of the T were used in some units.
A technician was generally not addressed as such, but rather as the equivalent line (NCO) rank in its pay grade (T/5 as Corporal; T/4 as Sergeant; T/3 as Sergeant or Staff Sergeant). Officially, a technician did not have the authority to give commands or issue orders but could under combat conditions be placed second in command of a squad by a Sergeant. Unofficially, most units treated them as though they were of the equivalent rank of the same pay grade.

The Technician ranks were removed from the rank system in 1948. The concept was brought back with Specialist ranks in 1955

Does your Mum recall any locations that she was told that he was at fighting or stationed? Is there any letters or correspondence that he and your grandmother had that you can refer to? If you can narrow units/regiments, you than can look at regiment morning reports and documents to narrow the number of possible Bills with a Technician fifth grade rank that was in the area. Sadly, if you do not have any additional details/photos than what you provided thus far, it is unlikely that you will pinpoint who your grandfather was.