Karl Groff West

First Lieutenant, Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps

Karl Groff West was born on 27 November 1895 in Danville, PA, the son of Mr. and Mrs. I. D. West. In the fall of 1904, at age 8, he attended the model school at the Bloomsburg State Normal School, which was a campus elementary school for training student teachers. He went to the model school for five years, finishing in the spring of 1909.

In the fall of 1909, he entered the Staunton Military Academy in Staunton, VA. In 1911, he entered Cascadilla School, where he was prominent in athletics, serving as captain of the football team for two seasons, and playing on the baseball and basketball teams.

In 1915, Karl entered Cornell University to study Civil Engineering, leaving in May 1917 to enter the School of Military Aeronautics at Cornell. In August of 1917, he went to France to begin flying school and, in order to get to the front sooner, he selected the rating of bombardment pilot. On 2 March 1918, Karl was commissioned a First Lieutenant as a pilot in 20th Aero Squadron, 1st Day Bombardment Group.

By the last full month of the war he was an experienced pilot and, in October 1918, participated in every raid made by the squadron in the Argonne-Meuse sector, earning him a citation for exceptional devotion to duty. West was also commended for having shot down a German Fokker plane on 23 October. The war was almost over, but he would not live to see it end.

On 5 November, six days before the Armistice took effect, a group of eight planes, including Lt. West's, was sent on a bombing raid far behind enemy lines. Before reaching the objective they were attacked by fourteen German planes, but were able to continue on to drop their bombs on the town of Monzin. At this point, six more Germans attacked, and West's plane was seen spiraling down. It was thought the motor had been hit, causing it to stall. The enemy continued to fire at the plane as it fell but, before it had begun its fall, West shot down at least one of the Germans. The plane carrying Lt. West and his observer was last seen bursting into flames after crashing. Lieutenant West and his observer received individual citations.

A hero had died, and as Karl West's good friend Lt. Lewis H. Turnbull wrote in tribute:

"I cannot speak too highly of Karl's work at the Front. He was a brave and courageous officer and a credit to his Organization. Karl was always eager to go on all bombing missions and was an exceptionally good flyer. His loss was deeply felt by the entire squadron. In his last combat Karl bore himself with his accustomed bravery, and he went down only because of the overwhelming odds against him. He died a noble death for his country."

Lieutenant West and his observer were initially buried in the cemetery at Nepvaiit, France, by three young Frenchmen, who erected crosses at the heads, with the name and the inscription:

''Honneur et Patrie-Tombe en Combat Aerien le 5 Novembre 1918.

They were later re-interred at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial in Romagne, France.

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