William Boesser Deuterman
First Lieutenant William B. “Bill” Deuterman was a Marine fighter pilot serving with VMF-111.
He was killed in a crash at sea near Savai’i, Samoa, on 9 September 1942.
Branch
Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number O-7127
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this informaion.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
November 16, 1917
at Washington, DC
Parents
William Boesser Deuterman (Sr.)
Edythe Grace (McCord) Deuterman
Education
Los Angeles High School (1937)
UCLA (ex-1941)
Occupation & Employer
College student
Service Life
Entered Service
November 15 1940 (enlisted)
September 26, 1941 (officer)
Home Of Record
929 North Rexford Drive
Beverly Hills, CA
Next Of Kin
Wife, Mrs. Joan C. Deuterman
Military Specialty
Pilot
Primary Unit
VMF-111
Campaigns Served
—
Individual Decorations
—
Additional Service Details
—
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
On 9 September 1942, a flight of Wildcat fighters belonging to VMF-111 set out for a routine training flight around the islands of Samoa. Among their number was First Lieutenant Bill Deuterman in F4F-3 Bureau Number 02525.
Shortly after 1130 hours, Deuterman’s aircraft developed mechanical trouble and turned back towards the field at Apia. His wingman reported the disaster that followed:
Bill, who always said that he would never bail out of a crippled airplane, ran into trouble over the bay and could not make it back to Faleola. He tried to set his F4F down on the water. Jeff Poindexter, who was flying on Bill’s wing all the way down, saw Bill stand up in the cockpit at about the last minute before the airplane impacted. Bill was clearly trying to bail out, but he was too low in any case for his chute to have deployed. Jeff watched in sheer horror as the F4F’s propeller bit into the waves. This flipped the airplane over at great speed and threw Bill against the windscreen and instrument panel. Jeff was certain that Bill died on impact. If not, he was certainly unconscious when he sank forever beneath the waves.
Burial Information or Disposition
None; remains not recovered.
Next Of Kin Address
Address of wife, Mrs. Joan Crawford Deuterman.
Location Of Loss
Lieutenant Deuterman crashed at sea near the island of Savai’i.
