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Personal info

Full name
KAST, Willard Whitfield
Date of birth
23 October 1921
Age
23
Place of birth
Morenci, Lenawee County, Michigan
Hometown
Morenci, Lenawee County, Michigan

Military service

Service number
O-784175
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
571st Bombardment Squadron,
390th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
14 March 1945
Place of death
Wulften am Harz, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
E 18 9

Immediate family

Members
William O. Kast (father)
Dawn S. (Beatty) Kast (mother)
Gaylord P. Kast (brother)
Robert W. Kast (brother)
Gladys (Shough) Kast (wife)
Janet Kast (daughter)

Plane data

Serial number
43-37831
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Lady Velma
Destination: Hannover, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 13024

More information

2nd Lt Willard W. Kast graduated from Morenci High School with the class of 1940 and was employed by the Morenci Rubber Company before entering the army.

He enlisted on 23 July 1942 and was stationed at Camp Roberts, California, as a bugler until 17 July 1943, when he was transferred to Iowa Wesleyan College for training prior to becoming an aviation cadet. He went to Blythe, California, after completing pre-flight training at Santa Ana, California.

The airplane collided in midair with another B-17 (42-102972). Nine crew members were killed, one was taken prisoner.

Lt Kast is memorialized at the Oak Grove Cemetery in Morenci, Lenawee County, Michigan.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, Nico Leers, Astrid van Erp, www.americanairmuseum.com, www.newspapers.com - The Daily Telegram, WWII Draft Card, 1950 US Census

Photo source: Michel Beckers, www.findagrave.com - Darjo, www.newspapers.com - The Daily Telegram