Father: William Albert Acton, 120 W 3rd St, Xenia, OH (later moved to Dayton, OH) Mother: Irene [Reece] Ed. Xenia High School prev. airplane sales, charter work for Dave Peterson Charter Service in Wichita, Kansas prev. exp. 360 hrs on Beechcraft F17D, Culver Cadet, Cessna C145-165, Stinson, Cessna T50 Address in 1941: Wichita, Kansas "Disregarding the fate of his friend, Bee Acton, of Wichita, Kan., has signed up for a year's service ferrying bomber and fighter planes from Canada to England [sic]. Acton, a commercial pilot, joined up shortly after his friend, Jim Wright, also of Wichita, was reported killed when a submarine sank the ship on which he was returning [sic] from England." At the end of his first contract the ATA described him as "a keen pilot competent to fly all types of single engne and light and medium7 twin aircraft. He proved a good type of officer and his behaviour was quite satisfactory." His second contract was for 18 months with a "cessation of hostilities" clause included. d. 8 Jul 1944 (Died in ATA Service) in Anson NK773 which was in a mid-air collision with Oxford X7134 and crashed at Rodbourne, 5 miles NE of Hullavington. Pilot Flt Lt. Bernard N Phillips [RAF Serial No 45885] and passenger Sqn Ldr William A. Law [79047] in the Oxford were both killed. The accident report says "Whilst the Anson was flying just below the cloud base an Oxford aircraft, piloted by an RAF pilot, came out of the cloud and struck the tail plane of the Anson. Both aircraft crashed in a field and were destroyed, all three occupants being killed." "Neither pilot is held responsible for this accident."
Buried Maidenhead Cemetery (Section C, No 14KK). The wording on the memorial is from Tennyson's poem 'Crossing the bar': I hope to meet my pilot Face to face When I have crost the bar Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):
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ATAM
