Army Air Forces, 14th Squadron; 61st Troop Carrier Group
World War II
" Major Thomas Clayton Cargill was the Commanding Officer of the 14th Squadron of the 61st Troop Carrier Group. On March 24, 1945, he took off from Chipping Ongar, England and led Serial B-2 during Operation Varsity. Varsity was the largest and last airborne operation of WWII. The 14th Squadron carried elements of the Canadian 1st paratroop regiment to DZ (A) across the Rhine River near Wesel, Germany. As the planes exited the DZ they were to make a left bank to turn and head back to their new base in France. As Cargill's ship went into the bank, his plane flew into what looked like a stream of tracer fire and was seen to start puffing smoke from around the left wing. Shortly after, there was smoke seen coming from the cockpit. Cargill's plane never came out of the bank and quickly lost altitude. The left wing hit a house as it neared the ground tearing it off and the rest of the ship hit the ground and exploded. There was evidence of 1 parachute coming out of the plane at about tree top level. The parachute was shredded in the trees and all aboard the plane were killed." - Randall W. Lewis, March 17, 2011 - cualumni.clemson.edu
Clayton Cargill received the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 6 stars, American Campaign Medal, American Defense Service Medal, Air Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters, WWII Victory Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross Medal, the Purple Heart and two Presidential Citations.
"My uncle, Clayton Cargill is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Holland. He is buried next to his co-pilot and navigator."
-Mary Lou Peake, August 3, 2015
World War II
" Major Thomas Clayton Cargill was the Commanding Officer of the 14th Squadron of the 61st Troop Carrier Group. On March 24, 1945, he took off from Chipping Ongar, England and led Serial B-2 during Operation Varsity. Varsity was the largest and last airborne operation of WWII. The 14th Squadron carried elements of the Canadian 1st paratroop regiment to DZ (A) across the Rhine River near Wesel, Germany. As the planes exited the DZ they were to make a left bank to turn and head back to their new base in France. As Cargill's ship went into the bank, his plane flew into what looked like a stream of tracer fire and was seen to start puffing smoke from around the left wing. Shortly after, there was smoke seen coming from the cockpit. Cargill's plane never came out of the bank and quickly lost altitude. The left wing hit a house as it neared the ground tearing it off and the rest of the ship hit the ground and exploded. There was evidence of 1 parachute coming out of the plane at about tree top level. The parachute was shredded in the trees and all aboard the plane were killed." - Randall W. Lewis, March 17, 2011 - cualumni.clemson.edu
Clayton Cargill received the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 6 stars, American Campaign Medal, American Defense Service Medal, Air Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters, WWII Victory Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross Medal, the Purple Heart and two Presidential Citations.
"My uncle, Clayton Cargill is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Holland. He is buried next to his co-pilot and navigator."
-Mary Lou Peake, August 3, 2015
Army Air Forces, 14th Squadron; 61st Troop Carrier Group
World War II
" Major Thomas Clayton Cargill was the Commanding Officer of the 14th Squadron of the 61st Troop Carrier Group. On March 24, 1945, he took off from Chipping Ongar, England and led Serial B-2 during Operation Varsity. Varsity was the largest and last airborne operation of WWII. The 14th Squadron carried elements of the Canadian 1st paratroop regiment to DZ (A) across the Rhine River near Wesel, Germany. As the planes exited the DZ they were to make a left bank to turn and head back to their new base in France. As Cargill's ship went into the bank, his plane flew into what looked like a stream of tracer fire and was seen to start puffing smoke from around the left wing. Shortly after, there was smoke seen coming from the cockpit. Cargill's plane never came out of the bank and quickly lost altitude. The left wing hit a house as it neared the ground tearing it off and the rest of the ship hit the ground and exploded. There was evidence of 1 parachute coming out of the plane at about tree top level. The parachute was shredded in the trees and all aboard the plane were killed." - Randall W. Lewis, March 17, 2011 - cualumni.clemson.edu
Clayton Cargill received the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 6 stars, American Campaign Medal, American Defense Service Medal, Air Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters, WWII Victory Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross Medal, the Purple Heart and two Presidential Citations.
"My uncle, Clayton Cargill is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Holland. He is buried next to his co-pilot and navigator."
-Mary Lou Peake, August 3, 2015
World War II
" Major Thomas Clayton Cargill was the Commanding Officer of the 14th Squadron of the 61st Troop Carrier Group. On March 24, 1945, he took off from Chipping Ongar, England and led Serial B-2 during Operation Varsity. Varsity was the largest and last airborne operation of WWII. The 14th Squadron carried elements of the Canadian 1st paratroop regiment to DZ (A) across the Rhine River near Wesel, Germany. As the planes exited the DZ they were to make a left bank to turn and head back to their new base in France. As Cargill's ship went into the bank, his plane flew into what looked like a stream of tracer fire and was seen to start puffing smoke from around the left wing. Shortly after, there was smoke seen coming from the cockpit. Cargill's plane never came out of the bank and quickly lost altitude. The left wing hit a house as it neared the ground tearing it off and the rest of the ship hit the ground and exploded. There was evidence of 1 parachute coming out of the plane at about tree top level. The parachute was shredded in the trees and all aboard the plane were killed." - Randall W. Lewis, March 17, 2011 - cualumni.clemson.edu
Clayton Cargill received the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 6 stars, American Campaign Medal, American Defense Service Medal, Air Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters, WWII Victory Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross Medal, the Purple Heart and two Presidential Citations.
"My uncle, Clayton Cargill is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, Holland. He is buried next to his co-pilot and navigator."
-Mary Lou Peake, August 3, 2015
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from South Carolina.
Family Members
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