Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
LESH, Wilbur Laverne - Date of
birth
22 March 1923 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Lamoni, Decatur County, Iowa -
Hometown
Stevens Point, Jackson County, Missouri
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
37723289 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Carpet Spotjammer -
Unit
849th Bombardment Squadron,
490th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
19 April 1945 - Place of
death
Konopiste, Czech Republic
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 25 | 7 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Floyd T. Lesh (father)
Flora A. (Snethen) Lesh (mother)
Leonard E. Lesh (brother)
Florence E. Lesh (sister)
Wilbur Lesh (brother)
Raymond L. Lesh (brother)
Ruby Lesh (sister)
Leah M. Lesh (sister)
Mary L. Lesh (sister)
Lucy A. Lesh (sister)
David B. Lesh (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-38701 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Aussig, Czech Republic
MACR: 14192
More information
It seems that the SS murdered Lesh and buried him in a shallow grave. Wilbur Lesh was the 3rd of 4 brothers who died in World War 2.His brother Leonard Lesh died on 20 April 1944 and is commemorated on the Tablets of the Missing at the North Africa American Cemetery at Carthage, Tunisia.
Source of information: Michel Beckers, MACR 14192, www.ancestry.com Kirkpatrick-McKnabb Snethen Family Tree / Census
Photo source: Michel Beckers, U.S. School Yearbook