World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Ernest Eugene Wheeler
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Calhoun, Kentucky
Honored By
Dr. James Eugene Wheeler & Dr. James Eugene Wheeler II
Relationship
Son & Grandson
1ST LIEUTENANT. 100TH SQUADRON, 441ST GROUP, 9TH AIR FORCE. CO-PILOT OF A C-47 DROPPING 15 PARATROOPERS OF THE 101ST AIRBORNE OVER CARENTAN, FRANCE, NORMANDY, D-DAY, JUNE 6, 1944. THE PLANE WAS HIT BY GERMAN ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE IN THE LEFT WING. PLANE WAS KEPT FLYING UNTIL ALL PARATROOPERS, EXCEPT 1, WHO WAS WOUNDED, EXITED THE PLANE. THE 4 MAN CREW AND THE WOUNDED PARATROOPER WERE KILLED WHEN THE PLANE CRASHED. HE WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART AND THE AIR MEDAL.