Memorial

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Lt Laurence E. Deats Jr. graduated from Ball High School where he played football. He was employed as a bookkeeper by the Tood-Galveston Dry Docks Inc.

He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Houston, Texas on 9 September 1942 and was sent overseas in June 1944.

Remarks or eyewitness Statements:
"The formation was attacked by enemy fighters at 23,000 feet, shortly after leaving the target area at 1110 hours and between the target (52º07'-11º38') and the Rally Point (52º10'-11º05'). Seven of the the twelve aircraft in this formation were lost.
Of the seven aircraft lost, three have been definitely identified and circumstances so stated in their particular Missing Air Crew Report. A/C 261 is believed to be one of the four unindentified aircrafts that were seen to go down in flames as a result of fighter attack. Of the four unidentified aircraft lost, five to six chutes were seen. Whether or not they were out of A/C 261 could not be determined."

This was his 13th mission.