 |
MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Jan '91
Ernest Willet Prevost No.
16138 Class of 1946 Died 3 February 1950
near Roosevelt Road Naval Air Station, Puerto Rico, aged 25 years.
Internment Silverbrook Cemetery, Anderson, South Carolina. |
ERNEST WILLET PREVOST was born 14 June 1924 in
Anderson, South Carolina. Anderson had been the Prevost family
home for years. Ernie grew up with traditional Southern values
instilled in him at an early age. He graduated from Boys High
School in Anderson and attended The Citadel for two years. Ernie
new at an early age that he wanted to be challenged and that
he wanted to obtain the best education available. This coupled
with his lifelong ambition to go to West Point, made him extremely
happy when he was able to get a second alternate appointment
to the Academy. As was the case with so many of his classmates-to-be,
Ernie had no way of knowing what his chances were of getting
into West Point as a second alternate. His brothers recall his
joy and enthusiasm when he was notified that the primary appointee
and first alternate had both turned down their opportunities.
Thus Ernie was able to realize his dream by entering West Point
on 1 July 1943 with the Class of 1946.
Ernie's two years at The Citadel helped him get
through the rigors of Plebe year He endured the tribulations
of that year with a contagious cheerfulness. This same trait
allowed him to expand his circle of friends throughout his years
at the Academy. A true "southern gentleman," Ernie
could always be counted on to provide a light and meaningful
insight to any subject at hand. His family does not recall that
Ernie had any great ambition to get into flying as a child. However,
this did not stop him from going into flight training when the
opportunity presented itself. When graduation rolled
around, Ernie received his wings along with his Lieutenant's
bars and went into the then-Army Air Corps.
Following transition training at Williams Field,
Arizona, Ernie was assigned to Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas and
served as the adjutant. In 1948 he was transferred to Guam with
the 23rd Fighter Group. March 1949 saw the 23rd deactivated,
so Ernie went to Howard Air Force Base, Canal Zone to serve with
the 76th Fighter Squadron. In November 1949, the 76th was also
deactivated, so Ernie moved to Shaw Air Force Base, Sumter, South
Carolina and was assigned to the 53th Fighter Squadron flying
the then-new F-84 Jet fighter. In January 1950, Ernie
was selected to participate in Operation Pine Cone in Puerto
Rico. On 3 February Ernie , with another officer
and a sergeant, took off in a C-47 transport from Ramey Field
in Puerto Rico. Seconds later, the plane crashed in the
water about 50 yards offshore from the Roosevelt Road Naval Air
Station, When rescuers reached the aircraft, only the tail section
was visible and there were no survivors. Ernie was survived by
his parents, three brothers and a sister.
Ernie made friends easily and he liked people.
And people liked him. They could sense that he was always sincere
and honest in his associations. Ernie had a subtle determination
to be good at whatever endeavor he decided to undertake. He was
making his mark in the Air Force. No one will ever know what
Ernie could have done had he not been taken at such a young age.
One of his brothers recalls that Ernie said he thoroughly enjoyed
flying and knew that a military career was right for him.
Ernie was proud to be a West Pointer. There was
never any doubt in his mind that Duty, Honor, Country were and
always would be the tenets by which he lived his life. His family,
classmates and friends remember Ernest Willet Prevost fondly.
He joined "the Long Gray Line" too early. As one of
his roommates said, "Perhaps it was God's plan to call him
at a young age, so that his fine qualities could sooner enlighten
and add joy to those who follow after." Ernie was a good
man, a fine officer and he is missed by all who knew him. The
world is a better place because of the time that he was with
us. Well Done Ernie, Be Thou At Peace!
'46 Memorial
Article Project and his brother William
|