By Deborah Larsen
Harry Edward Nettnay
Harry Edward Nettnay was born in Avon Township, Michigan, on March 6, 1906, the son of William and Ida Rhyndress Nettnay. In February 1927, Harry entered the U.S. Navy and trained as a naval aviator. While stationed at Pensacola, Florida, in March 1929, Harry was involved in a collision with another airplane that killed two crew members and left him seriously burned. After recovering and returning to duty, Harry was stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the Philippines, and San Diego, California. He served as a bomber pilot during the Battle of Midway in June 1942.
On May 23, 1943, Harry was at the controls of a twin-engine bomber when the airplane crashed near Watsonville, California, killing Harry and his five crew members. The tragedy of Harry’s death was compounded for his family 16 weeks later, when Harry’s eight-year-old son, William, drowned in Coronado Bay during a Labor Day celebration.
Harry Edward Nettnay died at age 37 on May 23, 1943, and was laid to rest at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California.