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name
BABBAGE, Westmoreland - Date of
birth
14 April 1922 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts -
Hometown
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-766177 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Bombardier -
Unit
668th Bombardment Squadron,
416th Bombardment Group, Light
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
21 March 1945 - Place of
death
4 miles northwest of Neerpelt, Belgium
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| C | 14 | 12 |
Immediate family
-
Members
John D. Babbage (father)
Elizabeth C. Babbage (mother)
John D. Babbage (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-22523 -
Data
Type: A-26C
Destination: Vreden, Germany
Mission: Bombing of a road junction
MACR: 15911
More information
Westmoreland Babbage joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Santa Ana, California on 9 March 1943.The accident occured as the formation was assembling into position en route to their home base. The formation headed by Cpt Andersen was flying into the sun and climbing to its position when the tail of his airplane rose into the propeller of the lead airplane of another formation. As a result of the collision, both airplanes were damaged and knocked out of control. The airplanes spun earthward to crash and killing instantaneously all the occupants of both airplanes wit the exception of bombarbier-navigator, 1st Lt Robert L. Kirk, who successfully parachuted from the other plane.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census / U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, http://www.sphsaa.org/
Photo source: Niek Schoonbrood, http://www.sphsaa.org/