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name
LADAS, Anthony Ernest - Date of
birth
16 October 1922 -
Age
21 - Place of
birth
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois -
Hometown
San Diego County, California
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-810522 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
382nd Fighter Squadron,
363rd Fighter Group
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
28 May 1944 - Place of
death
Sichau, 11 km west of Gardelegen, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 32 | 43 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Ernest Ladas (father)
Adell (Fiddick) Ladas (mother)
Helen Ladas (sister)
Cynthia Ladas (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-106486 -
Data
Type: P51B
Destination: Frankfurt, Germany
Mission: Bomber escort
MACR: 5138
More information
2nd Lt Anthony E. Ladas joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army in Chicago, Illinois on 15 September 1941.Statement from J.R. Brown, 1st Lt. Air Corps.
"On May28, 1944, Lt Ladas was flying # 4 position in my flight. The mission was escort of heavy bombers to Frankfort, Germany. At 1400, just west of Gardelegen, Germany, a flight of four red-nosed P-47's approached us from 2 oçlock level. I pulled the entire flight about 200 feet above this formation in a slight left turn. This cleared the entire flight, but I believe one of the Thunderbolts pulled up also; causing the crash. Lt. Ladas' ship hit one wing of the p-47, exploding Lt. Ladas'ship and shattering it to bits. The P-47 spiraled down out of my sight. In my opinion Lt. Ladas' chances of surviving this collision are nil. I continued with the remainder of my section, on course."
Lt Ladas collided with the P-47 of Cpt Alvin M. Juchheim who survived the crash and was taken prisoner of war.
Lt Ladad was initially buried at the community cemetery of Sichau on 29 May 1944.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, WWIIMemorial.com, NARA, www.fold3.com - MACR, Illinois, Cook County Birth Certificates, 1878–1922; 1940 United States Federal Census
Photo source: Mireille Goedhart, Chicago Tribune - 13 July 1944