Charles Vernon Thornton was born on October 24, 1919, in Blum, Texas. He attended the A&M College of Texas (now Texas A&M University) 1937-1939 as a member of the Class of 1941, majoring in Agricultural Administration.

Thornton entered the Air Corps in February 1940 and received his commission at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, in October of that year. During the summer of 1941, he helped set up a patrol base in New Foundland. From November 1941 to November 1942, he flew cargo and passenger planes across Africa and India for Pan American Airways. After returning to the United States, he served as operations officer of a bombardment squadron at Lake Charles, Louisiana, and went to England in 1943.

Major Thornton was the pilot of the B26 #41-31644 'Crescendo' with a crew of 9 members. His aircraft was hit by light flak and collided with B-26 41-31685, following the bombing Gilze-Rijen airfield that was occupied by German forces. All crew members except for the pilot Charles Vernon Thornton were able to bail out. Major Thornton was killed in the crash of his plane.

Major Thornton is now buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov, aviation-safety.net