William, who was originally declared "Missing In Action" was not officially declared as being dead by the military until August 21, 1945, 1 year and 1 day after he went missing as was the custom. That date, in error, is shown on his headstone. It should show August 20, 1944 his actual date of passing.

William served as a Lieutenant Junior Grade & Pilot on the U.S.S. Kasaan Bay (CVE-69), U.S. Navy during World War II.

He resided in Oklahoma prior to the war.

Lt (jg) Arbuckle took off from the U.S.S. Kasaan Bay at 0602 in his Grumman F6F Hellcat 58333 in order to bomb enemy convoys in the Montpellier, France area.

Finding an ammunition convoy he, along with other pilots, strafed it, but one of the planes was damaged in the ensuing explosion.

Following another successful attack, the flight leader flew around the damaged plane and ordered it back to base. However, when he resumed his station Lt. Arbuckle was no longer by his side, having been hit by AA fire and crashed, unknown to his teammates.

The flight leader attempted to contact him and searched the area for 10 minutes before moving on. However, some say Lt. Arbuckle strafed a target so low his wing clipped a tree bordering the road, sending him crashing down.

The locals buried him, the mayor engraving on his headstone "Here lies William Nathan Arbuckle, an American airman killed in action in the sky of Me'ze, on August 20, 1944, for our liberation. We shall never forget him."

The body was later moved to Epinal cemetery, and his parents put up a memorial headstone in his hometown cemetery. He left behind his family and young wife Elodie.

William was "Killed In Action" in France during the war and was awarded the " Distinguished Flying Cross " and the Purple Heart.

Service # O-303786

He also has a "Cenotaph" in the Hobart Rose Cemetery, Hobart, Oklahoma.
" Click Here " for that record.

Son of Jesse W. Arbuckle who resided in Midland, Arkansas.

Husband of Elodie Arbuckle.

( Bio updated: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett )

GENERAL ORDERS:
CITATION:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant, Junior Grade William Nathan Arbuckle (NSN: 0-303786), United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Pilot of a carrier-based naval fighter bomber during the Allied invasion of Southern France in August 1944. Without regard to the personal risk involved and in the face of great danger from intense and accurate enemy fire, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Arbuckle persisted in making a series of damaging low-level strafing attacks on a convoy of enemy motor transports near the town of Balaruc, France. The net result of the attacks launched by the flight of six planes was to leave definitely destroyed fifteen troop carrier trucks loaded with troops, four tank trucks and one command car. The accuracy of the enemy fire which was braved by Lieutenant, Junior Grade Arbuckle in making his attacks is tragically attested to by the fact that two other planes were badly damaged thereby and he himself, after the last strafing run launched by the group, failed to return to his base. The exceptional skill, fearless determination, and outstanding devotion to duty displayed by Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Arbuckle were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

William, who was originally declared "Missing In Action" was not officially declared as being dead by the military until August 21, 1945, 1 year and 1 day after he went missing as was the custom. That date, in error, is shown on his headstone. It should show August 20, 1944 his actual date of passing.

William served as a Lieutenant Junior Grade & Pilot on the U.S.S. Kasaan Bay (CVE-69), U.S. Navy during World War II.

He resided in Oklahoma prior to the war.

Lt (jg) Arbuckle took off from the U.S.S. Kasaan Bay at 0602 in his Grumman F6F Hellcat 58333 in order to bomb enemy convoys in the Montpellier, France area.

Finding an ammunition convoy he, along with other pilots, strafed it, but one of the planes was damaged in the ensuing explosion.

Following another successful attack, the flight leader flew around the damaged plane and ordered it back to base. However, when he resumed his station Lt. Arbuckle was no longer by his side, having been hit by AA fire and crashed, unknown to his teammates.

The flight leader attempted to contact him and searched the area for 10 minutes before moving on. However, some say Lt. Arbuckle strafed a target so low his wing clipped a tree bordering the road, sending him crashing down.

The locals buried him, the mayor engraving on his headstone "Here lies William Nathan Arbuckle, an American airman killed in action in the sky of Me'ze, on August 20, 1944, for our liberation. We shall never forget him."

The body was later moved to Epinal cemetery, and his parents put up a memorial headstone in his hometown cemetery. He left behind his family and young wife Elodie.

William was "Killed In Action" in France during the war and was awarded the " Distinguished Flying Cross " and the Purple Heart.

Service # O-303786

He also has a "Cenotaph" in the Hobart Rose Cemetery, Hobart, Oklahoma.
" Click Here " for that record.

Son of Jesse W. Arbuckle who resided in Midland, Arkansas.

Husband of Elodie Arbuckle.

( Bio updated: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett )

GENERAL ORDERS:
CITATION:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant, Junior Grade William Nathan Arbuckle (NSN: 0-303786), United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Pilot of a carrier-based naval fighter bomber during the Allied invasion of Southern France in August 1944. Without regard to the personal risk involved and in the face of great danger from intense and accurate enemy fire, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Arbuckle persisted in making a series of damaging low-level strafing attacks on a convoy of enemy motor transports near the town of Balaruc, France. The net result of the attacks launched by the flight of six planes was to leave definitely destroyed fifteen troop carrier trucks loaded with troops, four tank trucks and one command car. The accuracy of the enemy fire which was braved by Lieutenant, Junior Grade Arbuckle in making his attacks is tragically attested to by the fact that two other planes were badly damaged thereby and he himself, after the last strafing run launched by the group, failed to return to his base. The exceptional skill, fearless determination, and outstanding devotion to duty displayed by Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Arbuckle were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.