30 October 1944 Loss of William H. Westemeier

On the night of the 30th of October 1944, William H. Westemeier was a crew member on board a transportation flight from Villacoublay (close to Paris) to Querqueville, (close to Cherbourg). He was flying with ten others on a Douglas C-47 Skytrain #43-48592. Due to an electrical fault and lousy weather, the aircraft was following a German radar beam directly to the German Occupied island of Jersey. The pilot believed that flak fire from the German Anti-Aircraft Batteries was an accidental US friendly fire. The C-47 fired identification flares, however, moments later, the C-47 was downed by the German guns. Due to the low altitude, The C-47 ditched into the sea north to Bouley Bay. They survived the landing, but heavy sea conditions resulted in the drowning of all but the pilot.


Private
William H. Westemeier
Service# 6047394
1403rd Army Air Force Base Unit
U.S. Army Air Forces

Loss-of-William-H.-Westemeier