World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Wilbert Louis Weier
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Mount Clemens, Michigan
Honored By
Sam E. Pennartz
ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON JUNE 3, 1942 AT DETROIT, MICHIGAN. ASSIGNED TO THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATRES OF OPERATION, 12TH AIR FORCE, 42ND WING, 320TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 444TH BOMB SQUADRON STATIONED AT DECIMOMANNU AIR BASE, SARDINIA. ON AUGUST 23, 1944, HE FLEW AS THE PILOT ABOARD A MARTIN B-26G MARAUDER NICKNAMED 'PANCHO VILLA' AND ALSO KNOWN AS 'REEVER RATS' (SERIAL #43-34240) ON A MISSION TO BOMBARD A GERMAN ROAD BLOCK AT COVIGLIANO, ITALY. WHILE OVER THE TARGET AREA, HIS AIRCRAFT WAS HIT WITH FLAK FROM ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY. HE WAS KILLED WHEN THE #1 ENGINE BURST INTO FLAMES, WENT INTO A SPIN, AND EXPLODED BEFORE CRASHING APPROXIMATELY 60 KILOMETERS SOUTH OF BOLOGNA, ITALY.