Killed in Action on 26 November 1944, on a dive bombing mission over Duren, Germany, while flying P-38 lightning (serial number 42-20698). Laurence Bulmer, the flight leader saw Beethe's aircraft descend into a dive, which he did not pull out of, and watched Beethe crash. Beethe was killed in the incident.

Service

Events

Event	Location	Date
Born	Elk Creek, NE 68348, USA	15 January 1921
Graduated from Elk Creek High School		1938
Attended University of Nebraska-Lincoln		1938 – 1941
Worked in a Boeing plant	Seattle, WA, USA	1941
Worked for Martin Bomber base	Offutt Air Force Base (OFF), 906 Sac Boulevard, Offutt Air Force Base, NE 68113, USA	1942 – March 1942
Enlisted		March 1942
Arrived in England		August 1944
Killed in Action	Germany	26 November 1944
Family held a memorial service		1946
Buried		8 June 2015
His remains were recently recovered and returned to the USA