World War II Honoree

Leland Findley

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Beaver Crossing, Nebraska

Honored By

Holmes Post 178

SERGEANT FINDLEY WAS INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY JULY 19, 1941. HE SPENT TIME IN JEFFERSON BARRACKS, MISSOURI AS A SUPPLY SERGEANT IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS. LEE WAS IN ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY TRAINING FOR AERIAL GUNNER. RECEIVED HIS WINGS AT FORT MYERS, FLORIDA. HE ALSO TRAINED AT LOWRY FIELD, COLORADO AND PASSED HIS GUNNER EXAM AT SALT LAKE CITY, BEFORE GOING TO PYOTE, TEXAS AND ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA. SERGEANT FINDLEY DIED WHEN TWO FLYING FORTRESSES CRASHED IN MIDAIR ABOUT 40 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GALVESTON, TEXAS ON SEPTEMBER 10TH, 1943 WHILE TRAINING IN THE U.S. AIR CORPS. TWENTY-TWO MEN LOST THEIR LIVES AND NO BODIES WERE RECOVERED.