Name:
William J. Ashton
Rank:
Second Lieutenant
Serial Number:
O-726548
Unit:
343rd Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group
Date of Death:
1944-02-06
State:
Ohio
Cemetery:
Epinal American Cemetery, Dinozé, France
Plot:
B
Row:
19
Grave:
67
Decoration:
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart
Comments:
William J. Ashton was born in 1921 in Ohio. He served in the Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, as a Second Lieutenant and a Fighter pilot of the P-38J #42-67893.
On February 6, 1944, he took off from Nuthamstead on a bomber escort mission to Dijon, France. On return between Evreux and Dreux, France, he was shot down by an FW190, which set the left engine on fire. At 1315hrs, he reported he was baling out, but apparently his aircraft crashed before he could do so.
1Lt Ashton is now buried in the Epinal American Cemetery, Dinozé, France.
Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov