Bill Overstreet, Famed WWII Fighter Pilot

KodiakBeer · Jan 4, 2014

World War II veteran William Overstreet passed away in Roanoke, Virginia this past Sunday. He was 92 years old. He was involved in a famous dogfight where he actually pursued a German fighter through the arches of the Eiffel Tower and shot it down in front of thousands of cheering Parisians.

PASTOR JEFF CLEMMONS: It started at 30,000 feet.

CORNISH: That's Pastor Jeff Clemmons, a combat veteran of the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps and a close friend of William Overstreet.

CLEMMONS: This was a half-hour dogfight which would end up going through the streets of Paris and conclude itself through a pursuit through the Eiffel Tower where Bill shot down the German pilot.

CORNISH: Yes, you heard that right, from the stratosphere, down through the arches of the Eiffel Tower. Here's how Overstreet himself described the chase in an interview posted online.

WILLIAM OVERSTREET: He figured I'd try to get around and he'd have time to get away. He was wrong. I was right behind him, right under the Eiffel Tower with him. And when he pulled up, I did get him. But that's a huge space. That's not close at all. It's plenty of room to go under the Eiffel Tower. But it makes a good story.

(LAUGHTER)

CORNISH: More like a great one. Clemmons says the pursuit inspired thousands of people below who witnessed the feat.

CLEMMONS: The Paris citizenry actually rose up in defiance of the Germans for a period of three days, celebrating that victory. And they knew the Germans would lose the war.
Click to expand...

http://www.npr.org/2014/01/03/259432775/bill-overstreet-famed-wwii-fighter-pilot-dies-at-92

Owen · Jan 4, 2014

Thanks for posting that.
Sad that another Veteran passes on.
Just reading more on him on other websites.

KJ Jr · Jan 4, 2014

Great post, thank you for sharing. Great story just sad that we lost another hero.

adambhoy · Jan 4, 2014

What a great story! It's always sad when we lose another World War II vet, but you know what? He lived a full life at 92 years and I think it's worth celebrating that fact.

Adam

KJ Jr · Jan 4, 2014

Patton said it best, " ...we should thank god that such men lived."

TD-Tommy776 · Jan 12, 2014

Be at peace, Mr. Overstreet. :S!

Fred Wilson · Jan 13, 2014

Part 1 of 5 of an hour long interview

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hphm6a24eMU

KodiakBeer · Jan 13, 2014

I'm just disappointed he didn't say "Hold my beer and watch this" before flying through the arches and shooting down that ME109. A good old West Virginia boy...

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Bill Overstreet, Famed WWII Fighter Pilot

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Owen O

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TD-Tommy776 Man of Constant Sorrow

Fred Wilson "The" Rogue of Rogues

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