On this Memorial Day, remembering my maternal uncle, Wortham Starr Ashcroft, who was born and raised in Weatherford, Texas. Graduated from WHS and Weatherford College before heading to the University of Texas, where he was in the class of 1939.
He had suffered a broken arm on a previous mission the day before going up on his last mission but had refused to stay in the infirmary. Ironically, the last person to see and talk to him before the mission was the plane's mechanic,Tom deBeauford, who also happened to be from Weatherford, Texas. He said Wortham's arm was in a sling. Tom had tried to persuade him not to go up, but because of heavy losses of US planes and pilots, he was determined. Besides the one in Manila, there is also a memorial stone in Oakland Cemetery, Weatherford, Texas. *see picture below Wortham was married less than a year before being declared MIA. His wife never remarried and when she died some 50+ years later, had her ashes strewn over the Pacific in the area where he disappeared. After his death, three of his siblings joined the armed services, two the Army and one the Air Force. ***Wortham S. Ashcroft***Date of death: MIA: November 8, 1942Burial location: Manila, Philippine IslandsHome of record: La Jolla CaliforniaStatus: MIADistinguished Flying Awarded for actions during the World War IIThe President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant Wortham S. Ashcroft (MCSN: 0-7077), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while serving as Commanding Officer of Marine Scout Bombing Squadron ONE HUNDED FORTY-ONE (VMSB-141), in the Solomon Islands Area. On 15 October 1942, First Lieutenant Ashcroft led an attack on five enemy transports engaged in landing operations, and in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire and fighter opposition. He so skillfully led the attack that he and one other pilot scored direct bomb hits on two transports setting them afire and seriously impeding enemy landing operations. The valor and skill he demonstrated in this action was typical of every engagement in which he participated until he was reported missing in action on 8 November 1942. His courageous determination and his ceaseless and untiring efforts, maintained at great personal risk, contributed to the success of our forces and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.General Orders: Commander South Pacific Area and Force: Serial 0819 (May 18, 1943Action Date: October 15, 1942Service: Marine CorpsRank: First LieutenantCompany: Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 141 (VMSB-141)
He had suffered a broken arm on a previous mission the day before going up on his last mission but had refused to stay in the infirmary. Ironically, the last person to see and talk to him before the mission was the plane's mechanic,Tom deBeauford, who also happened to be from Weatherford, Texas. He said Wortham's arm was in a sling. Tom had tried to persuade him not to go up, but because of heavy losses of US planes and pilots, he was determined. Besides the one in Manila, there is also a memorial stone in Oakland Cemetery, Weatherford, Texas. *see picture below Wortham was married less than a year before being declared MIA. His wife never remarried and when she died some 50+ years later, had her ashes strewn over the Pacific in the area where he disappeared. After his death, three of his siblings joined the armed services, two the Army and one the Air Force. ***Wortham S. Ashcroft***Date of death: MIA: November 8, 1942Burial location: Manila, Philippine IslandsHome of record: La Jolla CaliforniaStatus: MIADistinguished Flying Awarded for actions during the World War IIThe President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant Wortham S. Ashcroft (MCSN: 0-7077), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while serving as Commanding Officer of Marine Scout Bombing Squadron ONE HUNDED FORTY-ONE (VMSB-141), in the Solomon Islands Area. On 15 October 1942, First Lieutenant Ashcroft led an attack on five enemy transports engaged in landing operations, and in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire and fighter opposition. He so skillfully led the attack that he and one other pilot scored direct bomb hits on two transports setting them afire and seriously impeding enemy landing operations. The valor and skill he demonstrated in this action was typical of every engagement in which he participated until he was reported missing in action on 8 November 1942. His courageous determination and his ceaseless and untiring efforts, maintained at great personal risk, contributed to the success of our forces and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.General Orders: Commander South Pacific Area and Force: Serial 0819 (May 18, 1943Action Date: October 15, 1942Service: Marine CorpsRank: First LieutenantCompany: Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 141 (VMSB-141)
On this Memorial Day, remembering my maternal uncle, Wortham Starr Ashcroft, who was born and raised in Weatherford, Texas. Graduated from WHS and Weatherford College before heading to the University of Texas, where he was in the class of 1939.
He had suffered a broken arm on a previous mission the day before going up on his last mission but had refused to stay in the infirmary. Ironically, the last person to see and talk to him before the mission was the plane's mechanic,Tom deBeauford, who also happened to be from Weatherford, Texas. He said Wortham's arm was in a sling. Tom had tried to persuade him not to go up, but because of heavy losses of US planes and pilots, he was determined. Besides the one in Manila, there is also a memorial stone in Oakland Cemetery, Weatherford, Texas. *see picture below Wortham was married less than a year before being declared MIA. His wife never remarried and when she died some 50+ years later, had her ashes strewn over the Pacific in the area where he disappeared. After his death, three of his siblings joined the armed services, two the Army and one the Air Force. ***Wortham S. Ashcroft***Date of death: MIA: November 8, 1942Burial location: Manila, Philippine IslandsHome of record: La Jolla CaliforniaStatus: MIADistinguished Flying Awarded for actions during the World War IIThe President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant Wortham S. Ashcroft (MCSN: 0-7077), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while serving as Commanding Officer of Marine Scout Bombing Squadron ONE HUNDED FORTY-ONE (VMSB-141), in the Solomon Islands Area. On 15 October 1942, First Lieutenant Ashcroft led an attack on five enemy transports engaged in landing operations, and in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire and fighter opposition. He so skillfully led the attack that he and one other pilot scored direct bomb hits on two transports setting them afire and seriously impeding enemy landing operations. The valor and skill he demonstrated in this action was typical of every engagement in which he participated until he was reported missing in action on 8 November 1942. His courageous determination and his ceaseless and untiring efforts, maintained at great personal risk, contributed to the success of our forces and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.General Orders: Commander South Pacific Area and Force: Serial 0819 (May 18, 1943Action Date: October 15, 1942Service: Marine CorpsRank: First LieutenantCompany: Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 141 (VMSB-141)
He had suffered a broken arm on a previous mission the day before going up on his last mission but had refused to stay in the infirmary. Ironically, the last person to see and talk to him before the mission was the plane's mechanic,Tom deBeauford, who also happened to be from Weatherford, Texas. He said Wortham's arm was in a sling. Tom had tried to persuade him not to go up, but because of heavy losses of US planes and pilots, he was determined. Besides the one in Manila, there is also a memorial stone in Oakland Cemetery, Weatherford, Texas. *see picture below Wortham was married less than a year before being declared MIA. His wife never remarried and when she died some 50+ years later, had her ashes strewn over the Pacific in the area where he disappeared. After his death, three of his siblings joined the armed services, two the Army and one the Air Force. ***Wortham S. Ashcroft***Date of death: MIA: November 8, 1942Burial location: Manila, Philippine IslandsHome of record: La Jolla CaliforniaStatus: MIADistinguished Flying Awarded for actions during the World War IIThe President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant Wortham S. Ashcroft (MCSN: 0-7077), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight while serving as Commanding Officer of Marine Scout Bombing Squadron ONE HUNDED FORTY-ONE (VMSB-141), in the Solomon Islands Area. On 15 October 1942, First Lieutenant Ashcroft led an attack on five enemy transports engaged in landing operations, and in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire and fighter opposition. He so skillfully led the attack that he and one other pilot scored direct bomb hits on two transports setting them afire and seriously impeding enemy landing operations. The valor and skill he demonstrated in this action was typical of every engagement in which he participated until he was reported missing in action on 8 November 1942. His courageous determination and his ceaseless and untiring efforts, maintained at great personal risk, contributed to the success of our forces and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.General Orders: Commander South Pacific Area and Force: Serial 0819 (May 18, 1943Action Date: October 15, 1942Service: Marine CorpsRank: First LieutenantCompany: Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 141 (VMSB-141)
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from California.
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