Lester W Saunders

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-55412.jpeg UPL 55412 Crew of Just A Snappin on the Bremen Mission.
Standing from left : William McClelland, Harry H. Crosby, Charles A. Via, Jr., Everett E. Blakely, James R. Douglas.
Kneeling : Lester W. Saunders, Monroe R. Thornton, Edward S. Yevich, Lyle E Nord, and Edmund G Forkner

From the Blakely Collection

Object Number - UPL 55412 - Crew of Just A Snappin on the Bremen Mission. Standing from left : William McClelland, Harry H. Crosby, Charles A. Via, Jr., Everett E. Blakely,...

Lester Saunders died of wounds on 15 October 1943 after being injured on a mission to Bremen on 8 October 1943.



His aircraft B-17F (serial number 42-3393' nicknamed 'Just-A-Snappin' was severely damaged by flak and enemy fighters, but managed to returned to base and crashed near Ludham. Saunders was posthumously awarded this Distinguished Service Cross for the courage and devotion to duty he displayed on the mission to Bremen.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380). Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reve

100th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Everett Ernest Blakely

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 418th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot / Commanding Officer

Aircraft

42-3393

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Just-A-Snappin'
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 418th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Wounded in Action

8 October 1943

Died

15 October 1943

Enlisted

Buried

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added an Association to “Thorpe Abbotts”, the home base of the 100th BG.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to the 100th BG - see pg. 191 in the book"Flying Fortress" by Edward Jablonski.

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Information provided by Mark Lusby, IWM volunteer

ABMC

100th Bomb Goup

Added to AAM Roll of Honour

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Combat Chronology, Unit History, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol I by Bishop and Hey p. 314 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Lester W Saunders: Gallery (1 items)

Object number: UPL 55412 - Crew of Just A Snappin on the Bremen Mission...