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name
HILLYARD, Owen Truman - Date of
birth
20 August 1918 -
Age
25 - Place of
birth
Smithfield, Cache County, Utah -
Hometown
Richmond, Contra Costa County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-763192 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
79th Fighter Squadron,
20th Fighter Group
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
19 July 1944 - Place of
death
North Sea, 8 miles off Ouddorp, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Richard T. Hillyard (father)
Lizzie (Lewis) Hillyard (mother)
Noel Hillyard (brother)
Lorraine Hillyard (sister)
Margaret Hillyard (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-67251 -
Data
Type: P-38J
Destination: Baden, Germany
Mission: Bomber Escort
MACR: 6787
More information
2nd Lt Owen T. Hillyard attended college and was an airplane mechanic.He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 16 September 1942.
An eyewitness states:
"Lt Hillyard called on the R/T saying that his oil pressure was low. I was told to escort Lt. Hillyard back to base. After about 3 minutes, he called and said his right engine was on fire. Then he called, saying he was going to bail out immediately. The plane flew straight and level for a few seconds and then started a gradual diving turn to the left until he was going straight down. The plane hit the water, and there was fire observed on the water. He was not seen to bail out, and he was not observed anywhere."
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, 20th Fighter Group, WWII Memorial, National Archives, www.ancestry.com Utah Military Records / 1930 Census
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.20thfightergroup.com - Mike Murray, Arie-Jan van Hees - Pilot 44-A, Williams Field, Arizona