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Personal info

Full name
LEAKE, Thomas Crawford III
Date of birth
1919
Age
unknown
Place of birth
North Carolina
Hometown
Richmond County, North Carolina

Military service

Service number
O-802045
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
506th Fighter Squadron,
404th Fighter Group
Awards
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
25 August 1944
Place of death
Near Coulommiers, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Epinal
Plot Row Grave
A 38 11

Immediate family

Members
Thomas C. Leake II (father)
Mary L. Leake (mother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-25720
Data
Type: P-47D
Nickname: Nellie B
Destination: Coulommiers, France
Mission: Armored column cover
MACR: 8245

More information

1st Lt Thomas C. Leake III was a foreman before he enlisted at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on 15 July 1941.

Statement from 1st Lt Ollie O. Simpson:
"While on a squadron mission in the Coulommiers area, we were attacked by enemy aircraft, and prior to this time none of our planes had any trouble. After approximately ten minutes of dog-fighting, we reformed what ships were still in this vicinity and returned to our base. Four of our ships were missing."

Lt Leake was first buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery of Solers, France.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov – WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record, www.fold3.com, http://p-47.database.pagesperso-orange.fr/Database/42-2xxxx.htm
Photo source: www.findagrave.com – Andy, www.ancestry.com - U.S. School Yearbooks North Carolina State University Yearbook 1940