Elon "Bud" Eastwood

Private Elon Eastwood was killed in a motor vehicle accident in Italy on August 2, 1944 while on active duty during World War II.  He was 23 years old.

Elon Eastwood was born on April 19, 1921 in Pitt County, North Carolina, the son of George Robert Eastwood and Missouri Slaughter Eastwood.  Prior to entering the armed forces, he was living in Henderson, North Carolina where he was employed by the Corbitt Company.

Pvt Eastwood entered in the U.S. Army on September 18, 1942 and was deployed to the European Theatre of War in April, 1943 serving in the 401st  Anti-Aircraft Artillery Gun Battalion.  On September 9, 1943 when the 5th Army made its landings at Salerno to begin the Italian Campaign,  the 401st AAA Battalion was engaged in successfully fighting off the savage and repeated air attacks directed at the massed troops and supplies in the small beachhead area.  

In the next nine months, the Allied forces gradually cleared southern Italy of Axis forces. In June, 1944 after being driven out of Rome, the Axis forces, demoralized and beaten, retreated to the North, eventually  to the Gothic Line, north of Florence, the last major line of defense of the German army in Italy. This was one of the most grueling phases of the Italian campaign for the antiaircraft troops. Units frequently changed positions several times during a 24-hour period so that the forward elements would have constant protection against enemy aircraft. So swift was the advance that the antiaircraft troops, in order to establish their most forward gun sites, on several occasions were forced to clear the area of snipers and infantry troops covering the retreating enemy.  Pvt Eastwood was killed in a motor vehicle accident during this phase of the fighting on August 2, 1944.                

Private Elon Eastwood is buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Farmville, Pitt County, North Carolina. 

Last edited: 8 June 2026