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Personal info

Full name
ACOSTA, Argent Joseph Jr
Date of birth
8 April 1921
Age
23
Place of birth
New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Hometown
Orleans Parish, Louisiana

Military service

Service number
O-763018
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
383rd Fighter Squadron,
364th Fighter Group
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
27 August 1944
Place of death
North Sea, near Wobbenbüll, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 10 18

Immediate family

Members
Argent J. Acosta (father)
Josephine M. (Pesikey) Acosta (mother)
Gloria Acosta (sister)
Rita A. (Cantrelle) Acosta (wife)
Argent J. Acosta III (son)

Plane data

Serial number
44-13936
Data
Type: P-51D
Nickname: Carolina Moon
Destination: Berlin, Germany
Mission: Bomber escort
MACR: 8319

More information

2nd Lt Argent J. Acosta Jr. was a plumber before he joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in New Orleans, Louisiana, on 2 September 1942.

Statement of Capt Bruce B. Wilson:
"I was leading Yellow flight, in which Lt Acosta was flying Yellow four. We went on instruments shortly after making landfall. At approximately 1210 my element leader yelled, 'look out.' I looked up from my instruments and saw a squadron of P-51s diving in to us. It was necessary to take violent evasion action to prevent a midair crash. I dropped the nose, losing my element and wingman."
Statement of 1st Lt Thomas H. Hall Jr.:
"I was flying yellow three position when I saw we were going into an overcast. I brought my element up tight. My wingman, Lt Acosta, was flying good tight formation. Suddenly I saw a flight of P-51s diving through us and I yelled to break. My flight leader dived, but I was unable to do so as my element would have had a midair collision, so I broke up and to the right. I realized I was on my own, so started flying instruments. I called Lt Acosta but failed to contact him from then on."

According to documents in the Missing Air Crew Report, the plane of Lt Acosta was shot down by a fighter.

Lt Acosta was initially buried at the cemetery of Wobbenbüll, Germany.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Justelia Alford, Terry Hirsch www.cieldegloire.com, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - 1930/1940 Census, Various Family Trees, www.fold3.com - MACR, WWI Draft Card

Photo source: Jac Engels, Michel Beckers/364th Fighter Group, Justelia Alford, Arie-Jan van Hees - Pilot 44-A, Williams Field, Arizona