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name
LAGASSA, Lloyd Keith "Buddy" - Date of
birth
15 October 1919 -
Age
24 - Place of
birth
Clintonville, Waupaca County, Wisconsin -
Hometown
Sheboygan, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
16006424 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Tail Turret Gunner -
Unit
748th Bombardment Squadron,
457th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
7 October 1944 - Place of
death
On a island in a river near Stettin Bay
Stettiner Haff, Poland
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
George J. Lagassa (father)
Helena K.F. (Gagnon) Lagassa (mother)
Kathryn H. Lagassa (sister)
George A. Lagassa (brother)
Evelyn F. (Ayers) Lagassa (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-97638 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Follow Me
Destination: Politz, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the oli refinery
MACR: 9773
More information
T/Sgt Lagassa graduated from Sheboygan Central High School with the class of 1937 and attended collge for one year.He joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 14 September 1940.
The airplane was hit by flak hust after bombs away, causing a fire in engine #3 and the right wing. The pilot made a diving maneuver to try to put out the flames.
Five crew members were killed, five men survived and were taken prisoner.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.ancestry.com, www.fold3.com, www.newspapers.com - The Sheboygan Press, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.ancestry.com, www.457thbombgroup.org, www.newspapers.com - The Sheboygan Press, Homepage - The 457th Bomb Group (H) Association (457thbombgroupassoc.org)