Memorial

More information

William Heaton worked for the Ecusta Paper Corp. in Pisgah Forest.

He was credited by Col Francis S. Gobreshie, top American ace in the European theatre, with saving his life in an encounter with German ME 109s.

1st Lt Gordon J. Blake states in the Missing Aircrew Report:
"I was flying Whippet Red Three in Lt Heaton's flight. We were in the area northeast of Coblens when an airdrome was sighted. White Flight made a pass to strafe, but discovered they were dummy airplanes. Shortly after this Lt Heaton sighted a train south of this airdrome, and about fifteen miles away. The flight dropped down to strafe and received heavy and accurate light flak. I called Red One and told him about the flak, as he missed the train on his first pass and was pulling up to make a second. Red One severely damaged the locomotive on his second pass and turned right, coming over the edge of the airdrome. We had pulled up and was climbing with about a thousand to fifteen hundred feet of altitude, with the flak very heavy. I looked at Red One and observed a large flash that appeared to be directly in the canopy. The plane continued to fly normally for 15 or 20 seconds and then rolled over, dived into the ground, and exploded. No contact with Lt Heaton was made after he was hit, and no chutes was seen."