Earl H Westerholm

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

Assigned to 652BS, 25BG, 8AF USAAF. On 9-May-44 the mission to the Azores was routine until the last leg. Just out from Land's End when all hell broke loose. There was a terrible metal ripping sound and some explosions. Bullets and 20mm shells ripped into the rear fuselage wounding 2 crew. Crew fought off 4 x Ju88's, downing one and forcing a second to trail off homewards with smoke from one engine. RAF spitfire escort, responding to the ships mayday, pointed out the damaged undercarriage, whilst the two failed engines also became apparent. Clary Stephenson bellied landed Lands End. 3 x WIA, 5 x RTD. Returned to Duty (RTD). Crashed fatally on take off for weather recon to Azores 6-Jun-44 Killed in Action (KIA).



Awards: AM (2OLC), PH.

Connections

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Units served with

A B-26 Marauder of the 654th Bomb Squadron, 25th Bomb Group, parked on a runway. Handwritten on reverse: '654 BS.'

25th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Reconnaissance

People

Clarence Raymond Stephenson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 25th Bomb Group 652nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15110085 / O-754300
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

42-31736

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 25th Bomb Group 652nd Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Enlisted

San Francisco, CA, USA 4 February 1943

Other

Survived forced landing

Land's End, Sennen, Penzance TR19 7AA, UK 9 May 1944 Survived forced landing combat damaged by Ju88's 9-May-44 Lands End. (RTD).

Died

Watton, Thetford IP25, UK 6 September 1944 Crashed fatally on take off for weather recon to Azores 6-Jun-44 Killed in Action (KIA).

Buried

7 September 1944 Interred Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial

Born

California

Based

Watton 6 September 1944 Assigned to 652BS, 25BG, 8AF USAAF.
Alameda County, CA, USA

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/311039296?terms=Earl%20H%20Westerholm
https://www.fold3.com/record/529906701-earl-h-westerholm
https://www.fold3.com/page/90716697-earl-h-westerholm/facts
She Called Him Raymond: A True Story of Love, Loss, Faith and Healing By Ray O'Conor
https://rafwatton.info/she-called-him-raymond-a-true-story-of-love-loss…
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56295479/earl-h-westerholm

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

ABMC, Roll of Honor; Aerial Intelligence of the 8th Air Force, pg 38-39 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia