GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A local World War II veteran and Congressional Gold Medal recipient has passed away.
Westdale was born in Indiana to a Japanese father and English-German mother, according to a bio on DiscoverNikkei.org, which documents Japanese migrants.
He got his pilots license in college and enlisted in the Army Air Corps during WWII. However, he was demoted and had his pilots license taken away when the Army discovered he was part Japanese.
He fought in campaigns in Italy and France, and near the end of the war, he was transferred to the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion where he liberated Jewish prisoners from the Dachau concentration camp in Germany.
After the war, he lived here in Grand Rapids and co-authored an autobiography.
In addition to the Congressional Gold Medal, Westdale also received a French Legion of Honor Medal for his service during the war.
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