Wilbert W. Behrens (1924 - 1944)

Born 16 Jan 1924 in Arlington Heights, Cook, Illinois, United States

Ancestors

Died 15 Dec 1944 at age 20 in Philippines

Biography

1st Lieutenant Wilbert Behrens served in the United States Army Air Forces in World War II
Service started: 4 June 1942
Unit(s): Fifth Air Force
Service ended: 16 Dec 1944

1st Lieutenant Wilbert Behrens was Missing in Action in the Philippines on Dec 16, 1944 during World War II.

Wilbert was born in 1924. He was the son of William Behrens and Christine Busse. ^{[1] [2]}

He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1942. ^[3] His wings were granted on 1 October 1943, and he later became a Thunderbolt pilot with the 5th Air Force.

Wilbert married Shirley Wilke on 5 January, 1944. He left to go overseas just 9 days later. Tragically, he was declared missing after a raid in the Phillipines on 15 December, 1944. ^[4]

He was only 20 years old.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ "Illinois, Cook County, Birth Certificates, 1871-1949," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVPH-Y3YX : 18 May 2016), Wilbert Behrens, 16 Jan 1923; Elk Grove, Cook, Illinois, United States, reference/certificate 1, Cook County Clerk, Cook County Courthouse, Chicago; FHL microfilm 100,355,632.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XS51-GJV : accessed 11 April 2022), Wilbert Behrens in household of William F Behrens, Elk Grove, Cook, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 2108, sheet 4B, line 52, family 38, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 499; FHL microfilm 2,340,234.
3. ↑ "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8G4-WDV : 5 December 2014), Wilbert W Behrens, enlisted 04 Jun 1942, Chicago, Illinois, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
4. ↑ *American Battle Monuments Commission
5. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVKT-ZF6F : 16 December 2021), Wilbert W Behrens, ; Burial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines, Manila American Cemetery and Memorial; citing record ID 56769599, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.