Georgia Flyer Is Tossed From Plane, Lost
William T. Meriwether Missing at Sea After Pensacola Tragedy.
Two aviation cadets from the Pensacola naval air station, including a Georgian, were lost at sea late Wednesday when they were thrown from the patrol plane in which they were making a training flight, it was disclosed yesterday.
The Georgia was William T. Meriwether, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Meriwether of Newborn, Ga., who had been a naval aviation cadet about a year and was just about to receive his wings.
The other victim was Angelo James Conlen, 23, of Raton, N. M.
Officials at the naval air station said the plane in which the cadets were acting as navigators was returning to the base from a routine patrol flight when it hit a violent downdraft. The pilot was able to regain control of the plane and resume level flight, but the cadets were thrown out of a hatch.
A plane search was conducted yesterday, but had not located the bodies. The search will be resumed tomorrow.
CADET W. T. MERRIWETHER'S FATAL ACCIDENT
The Madisonian (Madison, Georgia), 22 May 1942
On Wednesday, May 13th, William Thomas Merriwether was in a fatal accident when thrown from a plane, suddenly met his death, eight miles out in the Gulf of Mexico.
He was taking his final training at U. S. Naval Air Base, Pensacola, Fla., and had only a few more days before he would have received his commission. He joined the U. S. Naval Reserve June 1941, and had his first flight training at the U. S. Naval Air Base, Atlanta. He received his advanced training at U. S. Naval Air Base, Pensacola, Fla.
Cadet William Thomas was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Merriwether, of Newborn, Ga., in the Clack community. He was born Dec. 23, 1920, and graduated from Madison High School in 1937. He attended Emory at Oxford for one year, two years at M. G. C., Cochran, Ga., where he graduated in June 1941, a few days before he entered service.
William Thomas was 21 years old, a young man of sterling qualities, his pleasant pesonality and fine manners won many friends. He was reared in Jasper and Morgan counties and had a host of friends and was loved by all who knew him. He united with Midway Methodist church a few years ago.
He was very patriotic and volunteered his service and gave his life to a great cause, which was very essential to our country for victory and peace.
He is survived by his parents and one brother, James, who is in the same training at Atlanta Air Base.
Our community extends its deepest sympathy and prayers to the bereaved ones. May God comfort them in their sorrow.
Additional sources: Morgan County, Georgia Heritage, 1807-1997, Morgan Co. Heritage Book Committee, 1997; The Madisonian, 13 Feb. 1958, obituary of his mother.
Note: Body never recovered. A memorial also exists at Battery Park, New York City.
World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas Record:
Name: William T Meriwether Jr
Inducted From: Georgia
Rank: Aviation Pilot
Combat Organization: United States Navy Reserve
Death Date: May 13 1942
Monument: Battery Park, New York City, New York, USA
Last Known Status: Missing
William T. Meriwether Missing at Sea After Pensacola Tragedy.
Two aviation cadets from the Pensacola naval air station, including a Georgian, were lost at sea late Wednesday when they were thrown from the patrol plane in which they were making a training flight, it was disclosed yesterday.
The Georgia was William T. Meriwether, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Meriwether of Newborn, Ga., who had been a naval aviation cadet about a year and was just about to receive his wings.
The other victim was Angelo James Conlen, 23, of Raton, N. M.
Officials at the naval air station said the plane in which the cadets were acting as navigators was returning to the base from a routine patrol flight when it hit a violent downdraft. The pilot was able to regain control of the plane and resume level flight, but the cadets were thrown out of a hatch.
A plane search was conducted yesterday, but had not located the bodies. The search will be resumed tomorrow.
CADET W. T. MERRIWETHER'S FATAL ACCIDENT
The Madisonian (Madison, Georgia), 22 May 1942
On Wednesday, May 13th, William Thomas Merriwether was in a fatal accident when thrown from a plane, suddenly met his death, eight miles out in the Gulf of Mexico.
He was taking his final training at U. S. Naval Air Base, Pensacola, Fla., and had only a few more days before he would have received his commission. He joined the U. S. Naval Reserve June 1941, and had his first flight training at the U. S. Naval Air Base, Atlanta. He received his advanced training at U. S. Naval Air Base, Pensacola, Fla.
Cadet William Thomas was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Merriwether, of Newborn, Ga., in the Clack community. He was born Dec. 23, 1920, and graduated from Madison High School in 1937. He attended Emory at Oxford for one year, two years at M. G. C., Cochran, Ga., where he graduated in June 1941, a few days before he entered service.
William Thomas was 21 years old, a young man of sterling qualities, his pleasant pesonality and fine manners won many friends. He was reared in Jasper and Morgan counties and had a host of friends and was loved by all who knew him. He united with Midway Methodist church a few years ago.
He was very patriotic and volunteered his service and gave his life to a great cause, which was very essential to our country for victory and peace.
He is survived by his parents and one brother, James, who is in the same training at Atlanta Air Base.
Our community extends its deepest sympathy and prayers to the bereaved ones. May God comfort them in their sorrow.
Additional sources: Morgan County, Georgia Heritage, 1807-1997, Morgan Co. Heritage Book Committee, 1997; The Madisonian, 13 Feb. 1958, obituary of his mother.
Note: Body never recovered. A memorial also exists at Battery Park, New York City.
World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas Record:
Name: William T Meriwether Jr
Inducted From: Georgia
Rank: Aviation Pilot
Combat Organization: United States Navy Reserve
Death Date: May 13 1942
Monument: Battery Park, New York City, New York, USA
Last Known Status: Missing
Georgia Flyer Is Tossed From Plane, Lost
William T. Meriwether Missing at Sea After Pensacola Tragedy.
Two aviation cadets from the Pensacola naval air station, including a Georgian, were lost at sea late Wednesday when they were thrown from the patrol plane in which they were making a training flight, it was disclosed yesterday.
The Georgia was William T. Meriwether, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Meriwether of Newborn, Ga., who had been a naval aviation cadet about a year and was just about to receive his wings.
The other victim was Angelo James Conlen, 23, of Raton, N. M.
Officials at the naval air station said the plane in which the cadets were acting as navigators was returning to the base from a routine patrol flight when it hit a violent downdraft. The pilot was able to regain control of the plane and resume level flight, but the cadets were thrown out of a hatch.
A plane search was conducted yesterday, but had not located the bodies. The search will be resumed tomorrow.
CADET W. T. MERRIWETHER'S FATAL ACCIDENT
The Madisonian (Madison, Georgia), 22 May 1942
On Wednesday, May 13th, William Thomas Merriwether was in a fatal accident when thrown from a plane, suddenly met his death, eight miles out in the Gulf of Mexico.
He was taking his final training at U. S. Naval Air Base, Pensacola, Fla., and had only a few more days before he would have received his commission. He joined the U. S. Naval Reserve June 1941, and had his first flight training at the U. S. Naval Air Base, Atlanta. He received his advanced training at U. S. Naval Air Base, Pensacola, Fla.
Cadet William Thomas was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Merriwether, of Newborn, Ga., in the Clack community. He was born Dec. 23, 1920, and graduated from Madison High School in 1937. He attended Emory at Oxford for one year, two years at M. G. C., Cochran, Ga., where he graduated in June 1941, a few days before he entered service.
William Thomas was 21 years old, a young man of sterling qualities, his pleasant pesonality and fine manners won many friends. He was reared in Jasper and Morgan counties and had a host of friends and was loved by all who knew him. He united with Midway Methodist church a few years ago.
He was very patriotic and volunteered his service and gave his life to a great cause, which was very essential to our country for victory and peace.
He is survived by his parents and one brother, James, who is in the same training at Atlanta Air Base.
Our community extends its deepest sympathy and prayers to the bereaved ones. May God comfort them in their sorrow.
Additional sources: Morgan County, Georgia Heritage, 1807-1997, Morgan Co. Heritage Book Committee, 1997; The Madisonian, 13 Feb. 1958, obituary of his mother.
Note: Body never recovered. A memorial also exists at Battery Park, New York City.
World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas Record:
Name: William T Meriwether Jr
Inducted From: Georgia
Rank: Aviation Pilot
Combat Organization: United States Navy Reserve
Death Date: May 13 1942
Monument: Battery Park, New York City, New York, USA
Last Known Status: Missing
William T. Meriwether Missing at Sea After Pensacola Tragedy.
Two aviation cadets from the Pensacola naval air station, including a Georgian, were lost at sea late Wednesday when they were thrown from the patrol plane in which they were making a training flight, it was disclosed yesterday.
The Georgia was William T. Meriwether, 21, son of Mr. and Mrs. Meriwether of Newborn, Ga., who had been a naval aviation cadet about a year and was just about to receive his wings.
The other victim was Angelo James Conlen, 23, of Raton, N. M.
Officials at the naval air station said the plane in which the cadets were acting as navigators was returning to the base from a routine patrol flight when it hit a violent downdraft. The pilot was able to regain control of the plane and resume level flight, but the cadets were thrown out of a hatch.
A plane search was conducted yesterday, but had not located the bodies. The search will be resumed tomorrow.
CADET W. T. MERRIWETHER'S FATAL ACCIDENT
The Madisonian (Madison, Georgia), 22 May 1942
On Wednesday, May 13th, William Thomas Merriwether was in a fatal accident when thrown from a plane, suddenly met his death, eight miles out in the Gulf of Mexico.
He was taking his final training at U. S. Naval Air Base, Pensacola, Fla., and had only a few more days before he would have received his commission. He joined the U. S. Naval Reserve June 1941, and had his first flight training at the U. S. Naval Air Base, Atlanta. He received his advanced training at U. S. Naval Air Base, Pensacola, Fla.
Cadet William Thomas was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Merriwether, of Newborn, Ga., in the Clack community. He was born Dec. 23, 1920, and graduated from Madison High School in 1937. He attended Emory at Oxford for one year, two years at M. G. C., Cochran, Ga., where he graduated in June 1941, a few days before he entered service.
William Thomas was 21 years old, a young man of sterling qualities, his pleasant pesonality and fine manners won many friends. He was reared in Jasper and Morgan counties and had a host of friends and was loved by all who knew him. He united with Midway Methodist church a few years ago.
He was very patriotic and volunteered his service and gave his life to a great cause, which was very essential to our country for victory and peace.
He is survived by his parents and one brother, James, who is in the same training at Atlanta Air Base.
Our community extends its deepest sympathy and prayers to the bereaved ones. May God comfort them in their sorrow.
Additional sources: Morgan County, Georgia Heritage, 1807-1997, Morgan Co. Heritage Book Committee, 1997; The Madisonian, 13 Feb. 1958, obituary of his mother.
Note: Body never recovered. A memorial also exists at Battery Park, New York City.
World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas Record:
Name: William T Meriwether Jr
Inducted From: Georgia
Rank: Aviation Pilot
Combat Organization: United States Navy Reserve
Death Date: May 13 1942
Monument: Battery Park, New York City, New York, USA
Last Known Status: Missing
Inscription
WILLIAM THOMAS MERIWETHER
DEC. 23, 1920
MAY 13, 1942
LOST AT SEA
Gravesite Details
TMSI [54589]
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