WWII Fighter Pilot Flew Under Eiffel Tower's Arches Pursuing German Aircraft
ROANOKE, Va. (AP) - World War II fighter pilot William Overstreet Jr., who gained fame for flying beneath the Eiffel Tower's arches in pursuit of a German aircraft, has died. He was 92.
According to Oakley's Funeral Home, Overstreet died Sunday at a Roanoke hospital.
Overstreet's famous flight in Nazi-occupied Paris has been credited with lifting the spirits of French Resistance troops on the ground. In a 2009 ceremony at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, the French ambassador to the United States presented Overstreet with France's Legion of Honor.
According to his obituary on the funeral home website, Overstreet returned from war and married Nita Brackens of Covington, who preceded him in death. He worked as an accountant until retiring at the age of 65, then worked with numerous charities and veterans groups.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.
