He was piloting a P-38J which took off from Nuthamstead on a bomber escort mission to Dijon, France. On return between Evreux and Dreux, France, he was shot down by and 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.
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MACR No. 02150
1/Lt. Harold M. Bauer reported: "On the mission of Feb. 6th, I was leading the second element of Careful Yellow flight with Lt. Ashton as my wingman. We had rendezvous'd and escorted the bombers for our specific time when Capt. Hoeper called in bogies at 9 o'clock. I broke to the left after them, with Lt. Ashton following and I called for Capt. Hoeper to give me top cover. This was at 12,000 feet and we dove after these bogies to about 4,000 feet where I positively identified them as friendly. I made a sharp climbing turn to the left and at 7,000 feet I looked back and saw a FW-190 on my tail. I broke into him and at that instant noticed Lt. Ashton's left engine on fire, on my right. He called on the radio saying, 'This damn things on fire, I've got to leave it.' I told him, 'Leave the damn thing Ashton.' I was then engaging two FW-190s (silver bodies, yellow noses) and that was the last I saw of Ashton's ship. I engaged the two FW-190s for about three minutes and shook them off by reversing a turn and hitting the deck, headed for home."
Reproduced with kind permission of Mr. Robert M. Littlefield from the author's book Double Nickel - Double Trouble
Lt. Ashton was killed by enemy fighters between Dreux and Evreux, France. It is likely that he was shot down by Luftwaffe pilot Hptm. Herbert Huppertz of 11./JG 2, whose claim was made by reviewing gun camera footage.
-----------
MACR No. 02150
1/Lt. Harold M. Bauer reported: "On the mission of Feb. 6th, I was leading the second element of Careful Yellow flight with Lt. Ashton as my wingman. We had rendezvous'd and escorted the bombers for our specific time when Capt. Hoeper called in bogies at 9 o'clock. I broke to the left after them, with Lt. Ashton following and I called for Capt. Hoeper to give me top cover. This was at 12,000 feet and we dove after these bogies to about 4,000 feet where I positively identified them as friendly. I made a sharp climbing turn to the left and at 7,000 feet I looked back and saw a FW-190 on my tail. I broke into him and at that instant noticed Lt. Ashton's left engine on fire, on my right. He called on the radio saying, 'This damn things on fire, I've got to leave it.' I told him, 'Leave the damn thing Ashton.' I was then engaging two FW-190s (silver bodies, yellow noses) and that was the last I saw of Ashton's ship. I engaged the two FW-190s for about three minutes and shook them off by reversing a turn and hitting the deck, headed for home."
Reproduced with kind permission of Mr. Robert M. Littlefield from the author's book Double Nickel - Double Trouble
Lt. Ashton was killed by enemy fighters between Dreux and Evreux, France. It is likely that he was shot down by Luftwaffe pilot Hptm. Herbert Huppertz of 11./JG 2, whose claim was made by reviewing gun camera footage.
He was piloting a P-38J which took off from Nuthamstead on a bomber escort mission to Dijon, France. On return between Evreux and Dreux, France, he was shot down by and 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.
-----------
MACR No. 02150
1/Lt. Harold M. Bauer reported: "On the mission of Feb. 6th, I was leading the second element of Careful Yellow flight with Lt. Ashton as my wingman. We had rendezvous'd and escorted the bombers for our specific time when Capt. Hoeper called in bogies at 9 o'clock. I broke to the left after them, with Lt. Ashton following and I called for Capt. Hoeper to give me top cover. This was at 12,000 feet and we dove after these bogies to about 4,000 feet where I positively identified them as friendly. I made a sharp climbing turn to the left and at 7,000 feet I looked back and saw a FW-190 on my tail. I broke into him and at that instant noticed Lt. Ashton's left engine on fire, on my right. He called on the radio saying, 'This damn things on fire, I've got to leave it.' I told him, 'Leave the damn thing Ashton.' I was then engaging two FW-190s (silver bodies, yellow noses) and that was the last I saw of Ashton's ship. I engaged the two FW-190s for about three minutes and shook them off by reversing a turn and hitting the deck, headed for home."
Reproduced with kind permission of Mr. Robert M. Littlefield from the author's book Double Nickel - Double Trouble
Lt. Ashton was killed by enemy fighters between Dreux and Evreux, France. It is likely that he was shot down by Luftwaffe pilot Hptm. Herbert Huppertz of 11./JG 2, whose claim was made by reviewing gun camera footage.
-----------
MACR No. 02150
1/Lt. Harold M. Bauer reported: "On the mission of Feb. 6th, I was leading the second element of Careful Yellow flight with Lt. Ashton as my wingman. We had rendezvous'd and escorted the bombers for our specific time when Capt. Hoeper called in bogies at 9 o'clock. I broke to the left after them, with Lt. Ashton following and I called for Capt. Hoeper to give me top cover. This was at 12,000 feet and we dove after these bogies to about 4,000 feet where I positively identified them as friendly. I made a sharp climbing turn to the left and at 7,000 feet I looked back and saw a FW-190 on my tail. I broke into him and at that instant noticed Lt. Ashton's left engine on fire, on my right. He called on the radio saying, 'This damn things on fire, I've got to leave it.' I told him, 'Leave the damn thing Ashton.' I was then engaging two FW-190s (silver bodies, yellow noses) and that was the last I saw of Ashton's ship. I engaged the two FW-190s for about three minutes and shook them off by reversing a turn and hitting the deck, headed for home."
Reproduced with kind permission of Mr. Robert M. Littlefield from the author's book Double Nickel - Double Trouble
Lt. Ashton was killed by enemy fighters between Dreux and Evreux, France. It is likely that he was shot down by Luftwaffe pilot Hptm. Herbert Huppertz of 11./JG 2, whose claim was made by reviewing gun camera footage.
Inscription
William J. ASHTON
1LT 343 FTR SQ 55 FTR GP
OHIO FEB 6 1944
Gravesite Details
Entered the Service from Ohio.
Family Members
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