2d Lt Elton Henderson Nightingale
October 9, 1923 – November 11, 1944
Class: 44-C-SE
Graduation Date: March 12, 1944
Graduation Rank:
Unit: 332nd Fighter Group, 301st Fighter Squadron
Service # O-824849
Elton was born in 1923. He was the son of Elton Nightingale and Agnes Blenman. He grew up in New York City and enlisted in the army in 1941.
He received his basic training at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland[1]and served at Camp Upton, NY. He attended the Aviation Cadet Corps at Tuskegee Army Air field, and it was in Tuskegee that he met his wife, Louise. They were married in 1943. [3] He received his wings in March of 1944 and reported for duty at Selfridge Field in April. He was deployed to Ramitelli Air Base in Italy, as part of the 301st Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group.
On Nov. 11, 1944, Elton departed from Ramitelli Air Base in Italy on a bomber escort mission to the Brux Oil Refineries in Germany, he was piloting his P-51B Mustang #43-24872 “Chief”. He was last seen by a wingman leaving the bombers over the North Adriatic opposite Pola, Italy. He was in contact with the wingman via radio and said he was on course. But he never returned from the mission. It is presumed that he lost control of his aircraft and crashed into the sea.
His remains have never been recovered.
Elton Henderson Nightingale is buried or memorialized at Tablets of the Missing at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, Nettuno, Italy. This is an American Battle Monuments Commission location.
Sources:
HonorStates.org
WikiTree.com
