Korean War
| Service # | 507709 |
|---|---|
| Unit | 63 FITRON |
| Rank | Ensign U.S. Navy |
| Date of Death | April 24 1951 |
| Status | Missing In Action |
| Memorialized |
Courts of the Missing
Court
8
Honolulu Memorial |
Air Medal
Combat Action Ribbon (Navy)
Korean Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Purple Heart
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Korea War Service Medal
United Nations Service Medal
Ensign West was awarded the Air Medal with Gold Leaf, the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
Notes
Ensign West was the pilot of a F4U-4 Corsair fighter with Fighter Squadron 63, aboard the carrier USS PHILIPPINE SEA (CV-47). On April 24, 1951, after making a strafing run on a target in North Korea, His aircraft crashed into a mountain near Hwachan Reservoir. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.