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Tec5 Elmer N West

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Tec5 Elmer N West Veteran

Birth
Maries County, Missouri, USA
Death
27 Nov 1943 (aged 23)
At Sea
Burial
Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia Add to Map
Plot
Tablets Of The Missing ~ Army
Memorial ID
View Source
Elmer served as a Technician Fifth Grade, 853rd Engineer Battalion, Aviation, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

He resided in Jackson County, Missouri prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army on December 22, 1942 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in construction and also as Married.

Elmer was a passenger on the HMT Rohna.

The Rohna and four other troop ships left Oran in French Algeria with cargo and troops. Off Béjaïa, Algeria the convoy was attacked by an estimated 60 German Luftwaffe Heinkel 177's. One of the 177's, piloted by Hans Dochtermann, released a glide bomb that hit Rohna on her port side and she eventually sank.

1,138 men were killed, including 1,015 U.S. personnel. The attack is the largest loss of US troops at sea due to enemy action in a single incident. 35 U.S. troops of the 2,000 originally embarked later died of wounds.

Elmer was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.

He was awarded the Purple Heart.

Service # 37405852

( Bio by: Russ Pickett )

***I would like to thank Dan Phelan Find A Grave ID 47709857 for adding his photos to this memorial***
Elmer served as a Technician Fifth Grade, 853rd Engineer Battalion, Aviation, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

He resided in Jackson County, Missouri prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army on December 22, 1942 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in construction and also as Married.

Elmer was a passenger on the HMT Rohna.

The Rohna and four other troop ships left Oran in French Algeria with cargo and troops. Off Béjaïa, Algeria the convoy was attacked by an estimated 60 German Luftwaffe Heinkel 177's. One of the 177's, piloted by Hans Dochtermann, released a glide bomb that hit Rohna on her port side and she eventually sank.

1,138 men were killed, including 1,015 U.S. personnel. The attack is the largest loss of US troops at sea due to enemy action in a single incident. 35 U.S. troops of the 2,000 originally embarked later died of wounds.

Elmer was declared "Missing In Action" in this sinking during the war.

He was awarded the Purple Heart.

Service # 37405852

( Bio by: Russ Pickett )

***I would like to thank Dan Phelan Find A Grave ID 47709857 for adding his photos to this memorial***



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