Royer Willard Wayne

Name:

Willard Wayne Royer

Rank:

Flight Officer

Serial Number:

T-003019

Unit:

360th Fighter Squadron, 356th Fighter Group

Date of Death:

1944-11-04

State:

Oregon

Cemetery:

Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupré, Belgium

Plot:

D

Row:

19

Grave:

12

Decoration:

Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart

Comments:

Willard Wayne Royer was born on June 15, 1923, in Lyon County, Minnesota. He was the son of Maurice Nelson Royer and Lydia Margaret Jones Royer.

Willard enlisted in Santa Ana, California, on April 24, 1943. He resided at Columbia County in Oregon at the time of his enlistment. He served in the 360th Fighter Squadron, 356th Fighter Group, as a Flight Officer and Pilot on the P-47 #42-26289 'Georgia's Best' during World War II. In the vicinity of Dummer Lake, Germany, F/O Royer's aircraft was attacked by a ME 262 on 4 November 1944. It was hit by 20mm fire. When last seen it had left the formation but was apparently under control.

Additonal information:
"Two ME 262s followed the formation until missing aircraft straggled and then one made a sneak attack on straggler and quickly evaded. The two enemy aircraft seemed to be working together for when our Squadron turned into the first, the second one attempted a stern attack. Damage not known. A/C seen in a spin but no one actually saw the enemy aircraft fire on it. There was no fire or explosion. Missing aircraft snap rolled to the right and down, recovering about 2,000 feet below the formation, assuming previous heading."

Statement from Captain Bertrum E. Ellingson:
"I was leading Vortex White Flight on a target support and bomber withdrawal from Hannover. On the way out White Flight was with Red Flight on the left side of the bomber track. In the vicinity of Dummer Lake, White Flight was bounced by an ME 262. Vortex White Three called in but White Four evidently did not hear him. White Four was straggling badly at the time and took no evasive action. The ME 262 closed to very short range. White Four then did a snap roll to the right and down leveling out about two thousand feet lower. That’s the last I saw of White Four as I tried to get a shot at the enemy aircraft, White Four was not smoking or burning and appeared to be under control at that time." F/O Royer was initially buried in the county cemetery Halden, Lübbecke, Westfalen, Germany, on November 5, 1944, 3 km away from the main entrance of the way of the family Vault of the estate. He is now buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupré, Belgium.

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