I wonder if he can be identified as Alan Shepherd Wilhite instead. See
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...epherd-wilhite and
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obit...ilhite-4890364.
Gravestone (also) says WW II, must have enlisted in late war given his age then (18 yrs in 1945).
AAIR has Alan S. Wilhite in an F2H-2 Banshee accident operating from USS Wasp and with VF-172. This on 19 Nov 1953, Pacific area.
An earlier accident was on 4 Nov 1947 in a F4U-4 Corsair from NAS Jacksonville, FL (VF ATU #1).
Leendert