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Personal info

Full name
SHEFFIELD, Charles Edward Jr
Date of birth
13 July 1921
Age
23
Place of birth
Roanoke, Virginia
Hometown
Louisa County, Virginia

Military service

Service number
T-062737
Rank
Flight Officer
Function
Pilot
Unit
77th Fighter Squadron,
20th Fighter Group
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
3 January 1945
Place of death
18 miles northwest of Ostend, Belgium

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle
Tablets of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Charles E. Sheffield (father)
Artie G. Sheffield (mother)
Billie G. Sheffield (brother)
Ralph C. Sheffield (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-13748
Data
Type: P-51D
Destination: Bonn, Germany
Mission: Fighter patrol
MACR: 11522

More information

F/O Charles E. Sheffield attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Miami Beach, Florida on 4 February 1943.

Statement of 2nd Lt Leo H. Kerns:
"I was flying Glory White 3 position with F/O Sheffield flying #4. At 0940 at 17,000 feet, F/O Sheffield, who had been lagging on and off since setting course, had dropped out of formation and was lost to my sight. He called Glory Leader soon after that and said that he was aborting, but cause was not understood by me. Later, I found out he had said his coolant had popped. Ground controller fixed him as being 5 miles off Ostend and advised him his briefed course. Walnut told him his course home. Ground controller called him again and asked if he was landing on Continent or returning to base, and F/O Sheffield replied that he was heading home. That was the last I heard from him on the R/T.

At 0955, F/O Sheffield gave his Mayday, saying that his plane was on fire and that he was bailing out. His position was fixed as 18 miles northwest of Ostend, Belgium, over the English Channel."

He is remembered at Lakeview Cemetery in Victoria, Lunenburg County, Virginia.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, Carla Mans, 20th Figther Group, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census / Virginia Polytechnic Institute yearbook 1942 / U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.ancestry.com - Virginia Polytechnic Institute yearbook 1942, http://www.20thfightergroup.com/kiakifa.html, www.findagrave.com - Margaret Gagliardi