Service No. #5515162
Enlistment Date: 02/11/1942 at Jacksonville, Florida
Entered the Service from: Florida
USS RANGER (CV-4)
U.S., World War II Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Casualties, 1941-1945 lists his Next of Kin's Home of Record as Parents: Mr. and Mrs. James Darnell Westmoreland, Sr.; High Springs, Florida.
***I would like to thank S Berg Find A Grave ID 47470098 for updating the first/middle name, birth date/location and death location information on this memorial in addition to linking his parents to it***
***I would like to thank carolyn deloach Find A Grave ID 50647457 for adding her photos to this memorial in addition to adding the bio information below***
Aviation Machinist's Mate Third Class James D. Westmoreland, Jr., Florida, Service Number 5515162, United States Naval Reserve, was serving aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Ranger, when on 26 Nov 1943 as the Ranger was departing Hvalfjord, Iceland, for Boston, MA, high winds blew the F4F Wildcat fighter (reg. 03433) that he was working in off the flight deck. A search was made but his remains were not recoverable.
The following is from the Aviation Safety Network: "On 26 November 1943 the aircraft carrier USS Ranger left Iceland at 0900 hrs to return to Boston after operations with the British Home Fleet. The temperature was below zero and the ship ran into a violent storm. Powerful winds blew the F4F-4 Buno 03433 of VF-4 overboard with a man (AMM3c James D. Westmoreland) inside. He was lost at sea. Another fighter ended in the catwalk. A 25-inch crack in the Ranger's hull was also caused by the violent storm and was covered with a welded plate."
Service No. #5515162
Enlistment Date: 02/11/1942 at Jacksonville, Florida
Entered the Service from: Florida
USS RANGER (CV-4)
U.S., World War II Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Casualties, 1941-1945 lists his Next of Kin's Home of Record as Parents: Mr. and Mrs. James Darnell Westmoreland, Sr.; High Springs, Florida.
***I would like to thank S Berg Find A Grave ID 47470098 for updating the first/middle name, birth date/location and death location information on this memorial in addition to linking his parents to it***
***I would like to thank carolyn deloach Find A Grave ID 50647457 for adding her photos to this memorial in addition to adding the bio information below***
Aviation Machinist's Mate Third Class James D. Westmoreland, Jr., Florida, Service Number 5515162, United States Naval Reserve, was serving aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Ranger, when on 26 Nov 1943 as the Ranger was departing Hvalfjord, Iceland, for Boston, MA, high winds blew the F4F Wildcat fighter (reg. 03433) that he was working in off the flight deck. A search was made but his remains were not recoverable.
The following is from the Aviation Safety Network: "On 26 November 1943 the aircraft carrier USS Ranger left Iceland at 0900 hrs to return to Boston after operations with the British Home Fleet. The temperature was below zero and the ship ran into a violent storm. Powerful winds blew the F4F-4 Buno 03433 of VF-4 overboard with a man (AMM3c James D. Westmoreland) inside. He was lost at sea. Another fighter ended in the catwalk. A 25-inch crack in the Ranger's hull was also caused by the violent storm and was covered with a welded plate."
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