Memorial

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S/Sgt Joe R. Sanchez enlisted in Los Angeles, California on 25 March 1943.

Statement from John A. Garside, 1st Lt, Air Corps.: "I was flying as bombardier, lead aircraft, lead box, on the mission to bomb Ahrweiler, (R/R Viaduct) Germany, 23 December 1944.

After turning off the bomb run and after having dropped our bombs on the primary target, we had our first fierce attack by enemy fighters numbering approximately fifty to seventy-five. The fighters attacked from the rear and in waves of fifteen to twenty at a time. I saw an aircraft flying straight and level, later determined to be aircraft 42-107671, with the left engine on fire and the right engine feathered. I did not see any chutes leave the aircraft, but his position denoted that he was bailing out his crew. This activity occurred about three miles east of Kirchweiler, Germany."

Members of the crew were killed on the ground by SS troops; "Return of the Marauder Men" gives their date of death as 24 December 1944.

Only the bombardier, 1st Lt John J. Adair was taken prisoner of war. He stated that he heard small arms fire and is convinced that the other crew members were killed by SS-troops, Hitler Jugend or civilians. He was lucky because he wa stuck in a tree and found by Wehrmacht soldiers.

Between 2011 and 2014, the Department of Defense teams traveled to Bettenfeld and conducted operations at the crash site. They found the remains of 2nd Lt Biezis, 1st Gatlin and S/Sgt Sanchez. Between 2011 and 2015 those three men were returned to their family buried in the U.S.A.

1st Lt Gatlin has been given his final resting place at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, Florida on 20 January 2015.

2nd Lt Stephen V. Biezis is also listed on the Walls of the Missing at Henri-Chapelle.

S/Sgt Sanchez is listed on the Walls of the Missing at the American Military Cemetery of Luxemburg.

The other two deceased crew members, S/Sgt Milton E. Cowart and S/Sgt William L. Weissker are buried at the American Military Cemetery of Lorraine.

On 27 May 1999, a U.S. investigation team visited a crashsite near Bettenfeld. Two German nationals had researched the crash site and showed the team artifacts that were found and turned over remains collected from the site. Those remains were identified as S/Sgt Joe R. Sanchez. His remains were identified on 2 September 2010. He was given his final resting place at Rose Hill Memorial Park in Whittier, California.

His grave is unmarked. He was interred in the same plot as his mother and his name is not on the marker.