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Archive Report: US Forces
1941 - 1945
Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
We seek additional information and photographs. Please contact us via Helpdesk
USAAF Crest
16.04.1943 No. 366 Bomber Squadron B-17F 42-5220 2lt. Lawrence L. Leech

Operation: Lorient U Boat base

Date: April 16th 1943 (Friday)

Unit: 305th Bomb Group  366th Bomb Squadron

Type: B17F Flying Fortress

Serial: 42-5220

Code: KY-

Base: Chelveston, England (105)

Location: Kergurun - Languidic  France

Pilot: 2lt. Lawrence L. Leach  0-661854 USAAF Age 27. Killed

Co-Pilot: 1lt. Homer P. Andersen 0-727147 USAAF Age 27. PoW Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria

Nav: 2lt. Voyle E. Spence 0-663426 USAAF Age 25. PoW Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria

Air/Bmr: 2lt. Donald H. Worsley 0-728325 USAAF PoW Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria

RO/Gnr: T/Sgt. Joseph W. Terrell 19082820 USAAF PoW Stalag Luft Sagan and Belaria

BT/Gnr: S/Sgt. Jimmie H. Smith 15115781 USAAF Killed

TT/Eng: T/Sgt. David M. Bogdan 13041432 USAAF Age 22. Kiled

RW/Gnr: S/Sgt. John J. Toth USAAF Killed

LW/Gnr: S/Sgt. Floyd M. Williamson 17057644 USAAF Killed

T/Gnr: S/Sgt. Leroy F. Sykes 33189346 USAAF PoW Stalag 17B - Gniexendorf

Reason for loss:

Shot down and crashed at Kergurun in the Languid area of France. No further details and we welcome any new information on this loss. With thanks to Michel Beckers for information and photographs.

Above L-R: 2lt. Voyle E. Spence, 2lt. Lawrence L. Leach, Voyle E. Spence with his wife Ruth (courtesy Michel Beckers)

Burial Details:

2nd/Lt. Lawrence L. Leach, Jr. Brittany American Cemetery. Plot E. Row 1. Grave 5. From Kentucky, USA.

S/Sgt. Jimmie H. Smith. Brittany American Cemetery. Plot E. Row 1. Grave 18. From West Virginia, USA.

S/Sgt. Floyd M. Williamson. Brittany American Cemetery. Plot M. Row 1. Grave 24. From Kansas, USA.

T/Sgt. David M. Bogdan. Arlington National Cemetery. Sec. 34 Site. 4126. From Pennsylvania, USA.

Pages of Outstanding Interest
History Airborne Forces •  Soviet Night Witches •  Bomber Command Memories •  Abbreviations •  Gardening Codenames
CWGC: Your Relative's Grave Explained •  USA Flygirls •  Axis Awards Descriptions •  'Lack Of Moral Fibre'
Concept of Colonial Discrimination  •  Unauthorised First Long Range Mustang Attack
RAAF Bomb Aimer Evades with Maquis •  SOE Heroine Nancy Wake •  Fane: Motor Racing PRU Legend
Acknowledgments: Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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