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Somervell William Dorsey, Jr.

Name:
William Dorsey, Jr. Somervell
Rank:
Captain
Serial Number:
Unit:
1327th Army Air Force Base Unit, Air Transport Command
Date of Death:
1944-11-02
State:
Maryland
Cemetery:
National Memorial Cem. of the Pacific, Hawaii
Plot:
P
Row:
Grave:
848
Decoration:
Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Comments:

William Dorsey Somervell, Jr. was born on June 15, 1920. He entered UNC-CH from St. Andre's School, Middletown, Del., in 1939, and was enrolled from 1939 to 1941. He completed flight training and received his commission in March 1943. From May 11, 1944, to Sept. 11, 1944, he completed 300 hours flying from India over the "Hump," as the Himalayas were known, to forces in China. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for "flying at night as well as by day at high altitudes over impassable mountainous terrain through areas characterized by extremely treacherous weather conditions necessitating long periods of operation on instruments requiring courageous and superior performance for his duties he accomplished his mission with distinction." Somervell died in a landing accident in Tezpur, India, on Nov. 2, 1944. He is now buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii, USA.

CPT Somervell was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is 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