Byron Homer Garoutte was born 19 April 1920 in Delano, California.  He was the son of Homer Anthony and Ellena Garoutte.  He had a sister named Lucille, whose married name was Lucille Shirs and lived in Seal Beach, California.  Both of his parents were born in Missouri, and his father was a farmer.  Byron had three years of high school education.  He liked to swim, and he played football, basketball, and tennis.  He was an amateur radio operator.  Before the war, Byron was living in Westwood, California where he worked for three years as a truck driver for the Red River Lumber Company.  Before America entered the war, he crossed into Canada and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force at Vancouver on 19 August 1941.  He was a Warrant Officer Class II, and served as an air gunner in the 432nd Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force.  He died on the 4th of July 1943 at the age of 23.  Note that Byron Garoutte’s name is incorrectly listed as “Bryon Garoutte” in the on-line records of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Information provided by Hubert Dirkx, and found in the Ottowa Journal 11 August 1943, p. 5.