Theodore Edward WILLHITE

Source : usafdo

Spouse : Virginia L Sollins

Son : Theodore WILLHITE Jr

Parents : Edward C & Ivy WILLHITE

Brothers : Paul B & Kenton R

Source : F Lavernhe

MIA

KIA (since 19/07/2023) 

B-24 "Liberator" type H-5-FO - s/n 44-772 

macr 15249

Mission: Bombing of the submarine base of Toulon

Take-off: Panerazio, Italy

Crash: direct blow of the flak on the right side of the cockpit. Loss of control of the aircraft, crashes into the sea. No survivor among the crew.

Map of Rhône American Cemetery

Theodore WILLHITE is a native of Muscatine, IOWA. He studied at the local college, high school and university and became an insurer after three years of higher education.

On 7 August 1940 he joined the young USAAF to become a pilot. He was licensed in March 1941 at Randolph Field, Texas. He will continue his training on various fields such as McCord Field in Washington, as well as in Louisiana, Ohio and Indiana.

Theodre WILLHITE posing in front of a Boeing-Stearman, cadet training aircraft.
(source : usafdo)

(source : usafdo)

It was at this time, as a young lieutenant, that he met Virginia L. Sollins, a nurse and then stewardess in the United Airline, with whom he married on 15 August 1941. Both had a son Theodore WILLHITE Jr.

In November 1942 he left the United States for the Euro-Mediterranean theatre, where he spent some time under the orders of the famous James "Jimmy" H. DOOLITTLE, within his staff. He appeared with other officers in a Times article. He will become himself on February 25 of the following year, giving him access to command positions within the various Bomb Groups he works with.

 This is how he will be quoted posthumously for the Distinguished Flying Cross following his action on January 30, 1944 during a bombing in Italy...

B-24H s/n 42-7725 "Adolph and Tojo"
(source : b24bestweb.com)

A few months later, on March 11, he will take the place of the co-pilot aboard the B-24H "Adolph and Tojo" to conduct a bombing mission on the submarine base of Toulon.
The area being widely defended by German anti-aircraft artillery because of its strategic importance, raids over this base often cause many casualties within the bomber formations.

So after taking off from an airfield in Italy in the morning and after dropping their bombs on the target, the aircraft is seriously hit at the cockpit by the flak. It is cut in half and crashes at sea just a few kilometers beyond the harbor of Toulon without any member of the crew having managed to escape.

Bodies were recovered by AGRC at the end of the conflict, but the technologies of the time did not allow for formal identification. He was thus inscribed on the wall of the disappeared of the Rhone American Cemetery in Draguignan alongside 293 other disappeared.

But it was in 2019 that the investors of the DPAA (Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency) and the ABMC resumed analyses on the remains identified X-84, X-85, X-86 and X-92 of the temporary cemetery of Luynes. Thanks to DNA analysis it was formally established that one of these corpses was that of Mjr. Theodore E. WILLHITE.

Thus since September 19, 2023, the late major has been officially identified and will be buried at the location chosen by his family. A bronze rosette will be placed near his name on the wall of the disappeared, indicating that this soldier, after so many years, will finally be entitled to a worthy individual scépulture.

Purple Heart Certificate of Decoration of Mjr. WILLHITE.

Attestation d’attribution à titre posthumme de la Distinguished Flying Cross on behalf of the Mjr. WILLHITE.

Air Medal awarded to Mjr. WILLHITE from 16 July 1943.

Greenwood Cemetery Muscatine, Muscatine County, IOWA

source : Rick

Crew of B-24 "Liberator" type H-5-FO - s/n 44-772