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name
MATTHEWS, Leslie Clarence - Date of
birth
4 February 1921 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Michigan -
Hometown
Muskegon County, Michigan
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-676589 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Bombardier -
Unit
409th Bombardment Squadron,
93rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
22 December 1943 - Place of
death
IJsselmeer, 15 km. northeast of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Clarence Matthews (father)
Josephine Matthews (mother)
Muriel Matthews (sister)
Howard V. Matthews (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-63969 -
Data
Type: B-24D
Destination: Osnabruck, Germany
Mission: Objective Bombing
MACR: 2193
More information
2nd Lt Leslie C. Matthews was a clerk before he volunteered for the Army of the United States in Grand Rapids, Michigan on 13 April 1942. He attended basic training at Kelly Field, Texas and went on to graduate from the AAF Bombardier School in Big Springs, Texas on 1 April 1943. He was sent overseas on 9 September 1943.Crews of other airplanes in the formation spotted this airplane for the last time in the vicinity of 5238N-0620E. At this point the group ran into intense flak and concentrated enemy fighter attacks. To avoid the flak the lead aircraft took violent evasive action which scattered the formation. In the confusion the whereabouts of this aircraft remained unknown.
The entire crew of nine men was killed.
His brother, Capt. Howard Matthews also served with the Air Corps.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1963, www.fold3.com - MACR
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Jacquelyn Huss, Arie-Jan van Hees, Bombardier Class Book 43-05, Big Spring Flying School, Texas