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Personal info

Full name
LANKER, Albert
Date of birth
3 September 1917
Age
27
Place of birth
Petaluma, Sonoma County, California
Hometown
Sonoma County, California

Military service

Service number
O-753685
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
31st Photographic Squadron,
10th Photographic Reconnaissance Group
Awards
Silver Star,
Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster,
Air Medal with 9 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
26 December 1944
Place of death
Chenogne, Belgium

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle
Plot Row Grave
G 10 36

Immediate family

Members
Albert Lanker (father)
Marie A. (Schumacher) Lanker (mother)
Freda Lanker (sister)
Mary Lanker (sister)
Ida Lanker (sister)
Claire Lanker (sister)
Albert Lanker (brother)
Fritz Lanker (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
44-23703
Data
Type: P-38-F-5E-3
Destination: Bastogne, Belgium
Mission: Photo Dropping
MACR: 11501

More information

1st Lt Albert Lanker attended college and was a chauffeur.

He enlisted in San Francisco, California, on 4 March 1941.

He was killed in action during a drop mission of aerial photos in the vicinity of Bastogne, Belgium. His aircraft was shot down by anti-aircraft fire before he reached the designated drop zone.

1st Lt Lanker was initially buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery of Foy, Belgium.

Source of information: www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Family Trees / Headstone and Interment Record

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Alain Rosseels