Wallace Van Sandt was a serviceman from Birmingham, Alabama who served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II1. He joined the Army Air Corps in 19422. He was a tail gunner in the 301st Bomber Group, Heavy, 352nd Bomber Squadron1.

In a tragic turn of events, in April 1944, the B-17 High Pointer, on which Wallace was serving, was returning from a mission when it was shot down over Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia. Wallace Van Sandt, the tail gunner, was killed in this incident. He was only 22 years old at the time2.

After the war, locals in the village found the wreckage, including Wallace’s body, and buried his remains before the Nazis could find it and destroy it. These same locals helped the Van Sandt family recover Wallace’s body, where it was taken back home and given a proper burial