World War II Honoree

LeRoy Edwin Franson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Ithaca, Nebraska

Honored By

Richard L. Franson

Relationship

Son

PURPLE HEART RECIPIENT. TECHNICAL SERGEANT, SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS STATIONED ON SAIPAN WITH THE 871ST BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON, 497TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (VERY HEAVY). HE COMPLETED 47 MISSIONS AS THE RADIO OPERATOR AND FORWARD GUNNER ON THE B-29 SUPERFORTRESS. ON ONE NOTABLE MISSION IN DECEMBER, 1944, THE B-29 DEVELOPED ENGINE PROBLEMS AND THE LOAD OF BOMBS WAS DROPPED ON A SECONDARY TARGET CONSISTING OF FACTORY BUILDINGS, IN THE SMALL SEACOAST VILLAGE OF HAMAMATSU, JAPAN. ON APRIL 18TH, 1945, ON HIS 48TH MISSION, HIS AIRCRAFT WAS BROUGHT DOWN OVER KYUSHU ISLAND, JAPAN WHILE ON A BOMBING STRIKE AGAINST ENEMY AIRFIELDS. DURING AIR COMBAT, AN ENEMY FIGHTER AIRCRAFT WAS HIT BY MACHINE GUN FIRE FROM ANOTHER B-29 AND COLLIDED WITH HIS PLANE, SEVERING PART OF THE WING AND THE ENTIRE TAIL SECTION. THE ENTIRE CREW OF ELEVEN PERISHED IN THE ATTACK. HE IS BURIED AT JEFFERSON BARRACKS, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.