Eber Simpson

Eber Eugene Simpson


Born:
December 3, 1921
Eau Claire, WI

Died:
September 20, 1946
Fort Knox, KY


Career
Eau Claire High School - Wisconsin (High School)
1941-42 West Point Academy (College)
1942-43 West Point Academy (College)
1943-44 Harding Field - Louisiana (Military)
1945-46 Wilmington Bombers (ABL)


Born and raised in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Simpson went to Eau Clair Teachers College for a year before entering West Point. The son of a colonel, Simpson followed his fathers footsteps into the army, as did his brother, George, a football player at Purdue.

Simpson served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War 2 and in the European Theater flew 102 missions and 193 sorties. He was awarded a silver star, distinguished flying cross and 8 oak clusters among other medals and citations. While on weekend leave during the 1945-46 season, he played briefly for the Wilmington Bombers. Still in the service, he was returning home to Eau Claire on September 20, 1946, when the flight was grounded due to bad weather. After a delay, the plane got clearance to depart, and crashed shortly after takeoff, killing Captain Simpson and the four other men on board.

Source:
Eau Claire Leader, December 22, 1943
Eau Claire Leader, September 24, 1946

Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/eber-simpson/