Captain Charles Ashley Austin, Jr.
Charles Ashley Austin, Jr. was born in Motley County on April 16, 1918, but spent most of his life in Skellytown, Texas with his family – father C.A. Austin, Sr., his mother, Ethel Austin, and sisters, Laverne and Christine. Charles graduated from White Deer High School in 1937 and was voted most popular boy during his senior year while he was captain of both the football and basketball teams.
On February 5, 1940, Charles joined the US Army 13th Armored Division. He was transferred to the Army Air Corp on April 15, 1941. Captain Austin received his primary training at Chickasha, Oklahoma, basic training at Greenville, Texas, and flight training and commission at Victoria, Texas. He served in Washington, D.C., Windsor Locke, and Langley Field, Virginia. While on leave on June 7, 1943, he married Antonetta Rizzo.
Captain Austin left the United States for overseas duty on October 2, 1943. He was based in England as a flight leader and Captain in the 9th Air Corp Thunderbolts fighter squadron. He flew out of airstrips on the Cherbourg Peninsula.
On July 4, 1944, German anti-aircraft fire hit his Thunderbolt Etta II. Captain Austin veered his plane to avoid hitting the small village of Limetz, France but lost his life in the process. The townspeople of Limetz were aware of the sacrifice he made, not only for his country and the war effort, but more especially for the people of their village.
On July 3, 1994, fifty years after Captain Austin’s death, the village of Limetz unveiled a monument bearing the blade from his plane. A plaque at the base of the monument is inscribed as follows:
In memory of
Captain C. A. Austin
American Pilot
Died for France
July 4, 1944
Another plaque, located to the left of the monument, is also dedicated to Captain Austin and reads:
Captain C. A. Austin sacrificed himself on July 4th, 1944,
so his plane would not crash into our village.
This monument was erected in his memory as a testimony
to our profound gratitude.
No one in the 9th Air Corp Thunderbolts fighter squadron survived the war. Captain Charles Ashley Austin, Jr., posthumously received a Purple Heart and an Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters.
