Memorial

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2nd Lt Leonard R. Willette attended college and was a engraver before he joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Newark, New Jersey, on 4 November 1942.

1st Lt Herman A. Lawson:
“I was leading a section of four ships behind a flight of three ships led by Maj Roberts, over Munich area at 31,000 feet, when flight officer Willette called that he thought he had to bail out. I immediately called him to turn about, change channels on radio, and that we would return at once to base. I then asked what was his trouble. He replied that his oil pressure was very low. A few seconds later he called that he was 21,000 feet looking for a good spot to bail out. This all happened in approximately three minutes. After the turnabout, I never saw flight officer Willette again. Lt Saunders flying number four position, his wingman, stated he saw him go into the clouds just north of Lake Chiem. I had no further radio contact with flight officer Willette. I presume he bailed out in this area”