Wesley F. McCormick was born in 1921 in Illinois. He was the son of Frank and Ottillie McCormick of Chicago, Cook Co IL. He served in the 1337th Army Air Force Base Unit as a Private and Radio Operator of an aircraft during World War II.

Private McCormick bailed out of a C-46 along with his crewmates Pilot 2nd Lt Fred A Dreger and CoPilot 2nd Lt John B Sill who helped him get out of the plane. His parachute and harness became entangled in a tree upon landing. He was unable to free himself and he died in the jungle. His crewmates searched for him for several days, but when they finally found him it was too late. They buried him nearby and hung his dogtag on a cross made of bamboo. Lt Drager and Lt Sill wandered the dense jungle for 21 days before being rescued by Chinese fishermen.

His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines. Wesley was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is also commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov