Harold Wesley SANDERS
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| ARMY SERIAL NUMBER | 35167939 | ||||||
| AGE | 26 yo | ||||||
| DATE OF BIRTH | Dec 11, 1917 ILLINOIS | ||||||
| STATE | Terra Haute INDIANA | ||||||
| FAMILY | Parent:Daisy reba & J. Wesley SANDERS Brothers;, Glenn W, Everett, John E, Paul C & Robert F | ||||||
| RANK | Sergeant | ||||||
| FONCTION | Gunner | ||||||
| JOB before ENLISTEMENT | -- |  | |||||
| DATE of ENLISTEMENT | Oct 10, 1941 he enlisted to the AirCorps | ||||||
| SQUADRON | 614th Bomb Squadron | ||||||
| GROUP | 401st Bomb Group | ||||||
| ARMY | 8th Air Force | ||||||
| DATE OF DEATH | 31 december 1943 |  | |||||
| STATUS | KIA | ||||||
| PLACE OF DEATH | Near Morcenx - Mont-de-Marsan - (Remains found) | ||||||
| DATA PLAN | B-17 Fortress - type G-10-DL - s/n 42-37770 IW*A "Flak Rat" Macr: 1871  Mission: Bombardment on Bordeaux & Cognac Take off at 08:30 Station 128 Deenethorpe, NOTHAMPTONSHIRE Defeated by the flak and by fighter piloted by Fw Hoffman of 2 / JG towards 12:16 Partially evacuated aircraft | ||||||
| CEMETERY | RHONES AMERICAN CEMETERY from Draguignan | ||||||
| GRAVE |
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| DECORATION |
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| STORY | |||||||
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Harold was born Dec 11, 1917 in Illinois, later moved to terra Haute, INDIANA.
Grew up at the Vigo County Childrens home and with some family members.
Graduated Cory High School 1938
On Oct 10, 1941 he enlisted to the aircorps.
In 1943 he arrived in England to join the 401st Bomb Group
His first and last mission, Dec 31, 1943 ,Target: Cognac, the plane was attacked by enemy fighters from the rear and the plane went down.
Unfortunately Donald didn't survived this.
He was awarded with a Purple Heart Medal
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Crew of B-17 Fortress - "Flak Rat" |
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Story of "Flak Rat" |
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| 2nd Lieutenant | Homer Ernest Mc DANAL | Pilot | Escape - Evasion par Espagne/Gibraltar - Retour UK 03/02/1944 |
| Major | Ivan Wayne EVELAND | CoPilot | Escape - Escape through Spain / Gibraltar - Return to UK on 19/03/1944 |
| 2nd Lieutenant | Lucas Harry SPRINKER | Navigator | Prisoner - Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia |
| 2nd Lieutenant | Daniel Hugues GOETSCH | Bomber | Escape - Escape through Spain / Gibraltar - Return to UK on 06/02/1944 |
| S/Sergeant | Donald Lee JERUE | Radio |
Dead Cim Am Rhône Draguignan (83) - C.9.7 - Slaughtered during the parachute descent by hunters |
| S/Sergeant | Joseph Llyod KIRKNER | Gunner | Escape - Escape through Spain / Gibraltar - Return to UK on 19/03/1944 |
| Sergeant | Hubert J REASONER | Gunner |
Dead New Gordon Cem. Gordon, Texas USA - Crashes with the plane, Prisoner in his turret - Buried in Arjuzanx then Luynes |
| Sergeant | Morton ARINSBERG | Gunner |
Dead Montefiore Cem. Jenkintown, Montgomery Co, Pennsylvania - Buried in Arjuzanx then Luynes |
| Sergeant | François Gene KELLY | Gunner |
Dead Cim Nat Long Island, Farmingdale Slaughtered during the parachute descent by hunters |
| Sergeant | Harold Wesley SANDERS | Gunner |
Dead Cim Am Rhône Draguignan (83) - Slaughtered during the parachute descent by hunters |
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| INFORMATION SOURCES | Francecrashes39-45.net - Remember-our-heroes.nl |
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| PICTURE SOURCE | Frédéric LAVERNHE - Remember-our-heroes.nl |
| PROGRAMMER | Frédéric & Renaud |