He deliberately avoided the town's houses and managed to divert his plane to crash into the forest; he lost his life, while causing no victims among the villagers.

He was successful in his daily missions across the English channel that earned him two Air Medals and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

[6] On his last mission on July 17, 1944, he was flying on a P-47 fighter over the town of Les Ventes when his plane was shot down.

[12] The town of Les Ventes honored him as a hero as he had fought to liberate France [13] as well as his sacrifice for their freedom in avoiding the village with his plane on crash impact.

[14] He was memorialized at Plot D Row 27 Grave 3, Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France.