Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
SERVED AS A LOCKHEED P-38E ‘LIGHTING’ FIGHTER PILOT, WHO WAS KILLED AUGUST 22, 1942 WHILE PARTICIPATING IN A GROUND SEARCHLIGHT TRAINING MISSION. THE FIGHTER WENT INTO AN UNCONTROLLED DIVE WHILE THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING MANEUVERS TO ESCAPE THREE SEARCHLIGHT BEAMS, WHICH APPARENTLY HAD CAUSED BLINDNESS AND DISORIENTATION. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN FIVE MILES SOUTHEAST OF BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON.