MAJOR USAAF WWII - MIA-KIA
TABLETS OF THE MISSING
AS/N O-431383
[Enlistment S/N 14042874]
14th Air Force
23rd Fighter Group, 76th Fighter Squadron
Pilot
Walter enlisted in the Air Corps 26 April 1941 at Jackson, Mississippi and had completed two years of college at Memphis State, Memphis, Tennessee.
His family honors his memory with a monument Major Walter Sidney Butler, Jr – Family Plot in Liberty All Cemetery, Huntingdon TN.
Major Walter S Butler, Jr is mentioned in a newspaper article, having flown in the same 23rd Fighter Group and 76th Fighter Squadron that came under command of the famous WWII Flying Tigers All Volunteer Group (AVG) Ace Pilot Brigadier General David Lee 'Tex' Hill after the AVG merged with the 14th Air Force under the command of General Claire 'Lee' Chennault.
He is also commemorated on page 394 of The Aluminum Trail by Chick Marrs Quinn. This book lists and honors all of those that went missing and were lost "over The Hump" in the China-Burma-India Theatre during WWII.
Major Walter S Butler, Jr was leading a dive bombing and strafing mission in P-51D #44-11284 3 April 1945 on a course of 130 degrees. The visibility was four miles in haze. He and his wing aircraft had left a base at Laohwangping with a target at Yangtong. His plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on their last pass approximately one-half mile east of Erh Tong [ie Erh-Tong Airfield at Kweilin], headed west.
His wingman, 2nd Lt Harry Hill, Jr, ASN O-705582, stated the following, "Butler was leading the flight. I was flying Butler's wing. Butler called the flight and said that this was our last pass. I saw Butler heading west as I was making my pass in a SW direction. I pulled up from my pass and started rendezvous, calling Butler and asking his position. The last thing I heard, Butler called ‘I am hit.' The remainder of the flight tried to call Butler but no radio contact was made. We rendezvous, searched for his plane or parachute and sighted neither, it is believed he possibly went into the cloud layer and headed north."
Major Butler was declared dead 3 October 1945.
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart.
HE REMAINS MISSING.
--------------------------
-Military Information and Biography Provided by B24CoPilotNiece
-Family Information Provided By, and Photos Courtesy of, contributor Linda Marrison
-Many thanks to Lucy Butler Hines, Sara Lee Butler, and Mary Ann Lamar
--------------------------
TABLETS OF THE MISSING
AS/N O-431383
[Enlistment S/N 14042874]
14th Air Force
23rd Fighter Group, 76th Fighter Squadron
Pilot
Walter enlisted in the Air Corps 26 April 1941 at Jackson, Mississippi and had completed two years of college at Memphis State, Memphis, Tennessee.
His family honors his memory with a monument Major Walter Sidney Butler, Jr – Family Plot in Liberty All Cemetery, Huntingdon TN.
Major Walter S Butler, Jr is mentioned in a newspaper article, having flown in the same 23rd Fighter Group and 76th Fighter Squadron that came under command of the famous WWII Flying Tigers All Volunteer Group (AVG) Ace Pilot Brigadier General David Lee 'Tex' Hill after the AVG merged with the 14th Air Force under the command of General Claire 'Lee' Chennault.
He is also commemorated on page 394 of The Aluminum Trail by Chick Marrs Quinn. This book lists and honors all of those that went missing and were lost "over The Hump" in the China-Burma-India Theatre during WWII.
Major Walter S Butler, Jr was leading a dive bombing and strafing mission in P-51D #44-11284 3 April 1945 on a course of 130 degrees. The visibility was four miles in haze. He and his wing aircraft had left a base at Laohwangping with a target at Yangtong. His plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on their last pass approximately one-half mile east of Erh Tong [ie Erh-Tong Airfield at Kweilin], headed west.
His wingman, 2nd Lt Harry Hill, Jr, ASN O-705582, stated the following, "Butler was leading the flight. I was flying Butler's wing. Butler called the flight and said that this was our last pass. I saw Butler heading west as I was making my pass in a SW direction. I pulled up from my pass and started rendezvous, calling Butler and asking his position. The last thing I heard, Butler called ‘I am hit.' The remainder of the flight tried to call Butler but no radio contact was made. We rendezvous, searched for his plane or parachute and sighted neither, it is believed he possibly went into the cloud layer and headed north."
Major Butler was declared dead 3 October 1945.
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart.
HE REMAINS MISSING.
--------------------------
-Military Information and Biography Provided by B24CoPilotNiece
-Family Information Provided By, and Photos Courtesy of, contributor Linda Marrison
-Many thanks to Lucy Butler Hines, Sara Lee Butler, and Mary Ann Lamar
--------------------------
MAJOR USAAF WWII - MIA-KIA
TABLETS OF THE MISSING
AS/N O-431383
[Enlistment S/N 14042874]
14th Air Force
23rd Fighter Group, 76th Fighter Squadron
Pilot
Walter enlisted in the Air Corps 26 April 1941 at Jackson, Mississippi and had completed two years of college at Memphis State, Memphis, Tennessee.
His family honors his memory with a monument Major Walter Sidney Butler, Jr – Family Plot in Liberty All Cemetery, Huntingdon TN.
Major Walter S Butler, Jr is mentioned in a newspaper article, having flown in the same 23rd Fighter Group and 76th Fighter Squadron that came under command of the famous WWII Flying Tigers All Volunteer Group (AVG) Ace Pilot Brigadier General David Lee 'Tex' Hill after the AVG merged with the 14th Air Force under the command of General Claire 'Lee' Chennault.
He is also commemorated on page 394 of The Aluminum Trail by Chick Marrs Quinn. This book lists and honors all of those that went missing and were lost "over The Hump" in the China-Burma-India Theatre during WWII.
Major Walter S Butler, Jr was leading a dive bombing and strafing mission in P-51D #44-11284 3 April 1945 on a course of 130 degrees. The visibility was four miles in haze. He and his wing aircraft had left a base at Laohwangping with a target at Yangtong. His plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on their last pass approximately one-half mile east of Erh Tong [ie Erh-Tong Airfield at Kweilin], headed west.
His wingman, 2nd Lt Harry Hill, Jr, ASN O-705582, stated the following, "Butler was leading the flight. I was flying Butler's wing. Butler called the flight and said that this was our last pass. I saw Butler heading west as I was making my pass in a SW direction. I pulled up from my pass and started rendezvous, calling Butler and asking his position. The last thing I heard, Butler called ‘I am hit.' The remainder of the flight tried to call Butler but no radio contact was made. We rendezvous, searched for his plane or parachute and sighted neither, it is believed he possibly went into the cloud layer and headed north."
Major Butler was declared dead 3 October 1945.
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart.
HE REMAINS MISSING.
--------------------------
-Military Information and Biography Provided by B24CoPilotNiece
-Family Information Provided By, and Photos Courtesy of, contributor Linda Marrison
-Many thanks to Lucy Butler Hines, Sara Lee Butler, and Mary Ann Lamar
--------------------------
TABLETS OF THE MISSING
AS/N O-431383
[Enlistment S/N 14042874]
14th Air Force
23rd Fighter Group, 76th Fighter Squadron
Pilot
Walter enlisted in the Air Corps 26 April 1941 at Jackson, Mississippi and had completed two years of college at Memphis State, Memphis, Tennessee.
His family honors his memory with a monument Major Walter Sidney Butler, Jr – Family Plot in Liberty All Cemetery, Huntingdon TN.
Major Walter S Butler, Jr is mentioned in a newspaper article, having flown in the same 23rd Fighter Group and 76th Fighter Squadron that came under command of the famous WWII Flying Tigers All Volunteer Group (AVG) Ace Pilot Brigadier General David Lee 'Tex' Hill after the AVG merged with the 14th Air Force under the command of General Claire 'Lee' Chennault.
He is also commemorated on page 394 of The Aluminum Trail by Chick Marrs Quinn. This book lists and honors all of those that went missing and were lost "over The Hump" in the China-Burma-India Theatre during WWII.
Major Walter S Butler, Jr was leading a dive bombing and strafing mission in P-51D #44-11284 3 April 1945 on a course of 130 degrees. The visibility was four miles in haze. He and his wing aircraft had left a base at Laohwangping with a target at Yangtong. His plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on their last pass approximately one-half mile east of Erh Tong [ie Erh-Tong Airfield at Kweilin], headed west.
His wingman, 2nd Lt Harry Hill, Jr, ASN O-705582, stated the following, "Butler was leading the flight. I was flying Butler's wing. Butler called the flight and said that this was our last pass. I saw Butler heading west as I was making my pass in a SW direction. I pulled up from my pass and started rendezvous, calling Butler and asking his position. The last thing I heard, Butler called ‘I am hit.' The remainder of the flight tried to call Butler but no radio contact was made. We rendezvous, searched for his plane or parachute and sighted neither, it is believed he possibly went into the cloud layer and headed north."
Major Butler was declared dead 3 October 1945.
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart.
HE REMAINS MISSING.
--------------------------
-Military Information and Biography Provided by B24CoPilotNiece
-Family Information Provided By, and Photos Courtesy of, contributor Linda Marrison
-Many thanks to Lucy Butler Hines, Sara Lee Butler, and Mary Ann Lamar
--------------------------
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Tennessee.
