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name
SANDERS, Lewis Leon Jr - Date of
birth
1 August 1924 -
Age
20 -
Place of birth
Haynesville, Claiborne Parish, Louisiana -
Hometown
Grand Cane, De Soto Parish, Louisiana
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-2069216 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Navigator -
Unit
577th Bombardment Squadron,
392nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
9 February 1945 - Place of
death
North Sea
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Lewis L. Sanders (father)
Gladys I. (Anglin) Sanders (mother)
Edna L. Sanders (sister)
Wanda C. Sanders (sister)
P. Wynelle Sanders (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
41-28841 -
Data
Type: B-24H
Nickname: The Philly Folly
Destination: Magdeburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the BRABAG oil refinery
MACR: 12216
More information
2nd Lt Lewis L. Sanders Jr. graduated from Mansfield High School in 1942 and was employed as an engineer with the U. S. Coast and Geodetic survey.He joined the Air Corps in July 1943. He trained in Amarillo, Texas and the University of Nevada and was commissioned a 2nd Lt and received his wings as a navigator at Hondo Army Air Field, Texas on August 1944. He was sent overseas in December 1944.
1st Lt K.E. Cline, gave a brief account on last seeing this aircraft: "Aircraft 841 was seen to peel off and head back toward the Continent at 1354 hours (52-40N; 04-15E) at 14,000 feet. Ship was probably low on gas."
There were no German reports on this loss or other U.S. force sightings. It is speculated beyond a reasonable doubt that this aircraft and crew went down in the North Sea. This reasoning stems from the fact that the bodies of four crewmen eventually washed ashore.
The entire crew of nine was killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, Peter Schouteten, www.B24.net, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.newspapers.com - The Times