World War II Honoree

Charles Ashley 'C.A.' Austin, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Carson County, Texas

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: CAPTAIN. INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY AIR CORPS FEBRUARY 7, 1941 AT LUBBOCK, TEXAS, AND LATER HE WAS ACCEPTED INTO THE AVIATION FLIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM. SERVED AS A P-47D ‘THUNDERBOLT’ FIGHTER PILOT, WHO HAD COMPLETED 80 COMBAT MISSIONS IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 366TH FIGHTER SQUADRON, 358TH FIGHTER GROUP, U.S. 9TH AIR FORCE STATIONED AT CRETTEVILLE AIRFIELD, FRANCE. KILLED IN ACTION TUESDAY, JULY 4, 1944 WHEN HIS AIRCRAFT WAS HIT BY GERMAN ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE AND SEVERELY DAMAGED DURING A TACTICAL BOMBING MISSION OVER GERMAN-OCCUPIED FRANCE. HE SACRIFICED HIS LIFE BY STAYING WITH HIS CRIPPLED FIGHTER, SKILLFULLY MANEUVERING ITS COURSE OF DESTRUCTION AND SENT IT CRASHING INTO A CORNFIELD AS IT WAS CAREENING TOWARD THE FRENCH VILLAGE OF LIMETZ-VILLET. THE LOCAL RESIDENTS, MOURNING HIS DEATH, BURIED HIM IN A LOCAL CEMETERY WITH FULL HONORS. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES IN EUROPE, HE WAS INTERRED IN THE NORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY LOCATED AT COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE. THE VILLAGERS OF LIMETZ-VILLET HAVE ERECTED A MONUMENT IN HIS MEMORY AND HIS PLANE’S PROPELLER SERVES AS THE CENTERPIECE OF THE MEMORIAL. DECORATIONS AND MEDALS: AIR MEDAL WITH 11 BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS AND THE PURPLE HEART. THE AIR MEDAL WAS AWARDED TO THE CAPTAIN FOR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AERIAL FLIGHT.