[1][2] Westbrook was born in Los Angeles on 9 November 1917, and attended Hollywood High School, where he joined the ROTC and became a cadet captain.

[3] Westbrook applied for United States Army Air Corps flight training later that year and was accepted.

He was awarded his wings with Class 42-G at Luke Field, Arizona, on July 26, 1942, and then ordered to Hawaii.

A week later, its pilots flew their planes to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, from which they began flying combat missions.

He scored his final aerial victories in the P-40, when he shot down a Nakajima A6M2-N "Hap" and a Zero, while protecting Allied ships that were supporting the landings on New Georgia and Rendova Islands.

[6] During December 1943, he shot down six Japanese planes in a three-day span over Rabaul, for which he received the Distinguished Service Cross.

[4] Westbrook returned to Guadalcanal and in May 1944, he was appointed deputy commanding officer of the 347th Fighter Group and was promoted to lieutenant colonel.

The 347th FG was then based on Stirling Island and on September 25, Westbrook shot down a Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar" over Kendari.

[4] On November 22, 1944, Westbrook was leading the flight to destroy the Japanese naval convoys in Makassar bay.

[9] His decorations include: Westbrook is listed on the Walls of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery.