World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Edwin Wilton Foster, III
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Dallas, Texas
Honored By
Sam E. Pennartz
ENLISTED AS A PRIVATE IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS ON 1 DECEMBER 1942 AT DALLAS, TEXAS. COMPLETED PRE-FLIGHT TRAINING AND WAS ASSIGNED TO ARMY AIR FORCES CENTRAL FLYING TRAINING COMMAND, 79TH BOMBARDIER TRAINING GROUP. GRADUATED ON 23 OCTOBER 1943 FROM BOMBARDIER SCHOOL TRAINING CLASS 43-15 AT BIG SPRING ARMY AIR FIELD, TEXAS. UNDERWENT B-24 AIRCRAFT TRANSITION AND COMBAT CREW TRAINING AT PUEBLO ARMY AIR BASE, COLORADO. DEPLOYED TO THE EUROPEAN THEATRE OF OPERATIONS FROM MORRISON FIELD, FLORIDA. BEGAN MOVEMENT OVERSEAS ON 21 APRIL 1944 VIA THE SOUTH ATLANTIC ROUTE THROUGH TRINIDAD, BRAZIL, DAKAR, MARRAKESH, AND THEN ON TO THE UNITED KINGDOM. ASSIGNED TO 8TH AIR FORCE, 95TH COMBAT BOMB WING, 491ST BOMBARDMENT GROUP (THE RINGMASTERS), 853RD BOMB SQUADRON STATIONED AT ARMY AIR FORCE STATION #366 METFIELD IN SUFFOLK, ENGLAND. ON 8 JUNE 1944, HE FLEW AS THE BOMBARDIER ABOARD A CONSOLIDATED B-24J LIBERATOR NICKNAMED 'LUCKY PENNY' (SERIAL #42-110169) FUSELAGE CODE 'T8' TO BOMBARD A 175 FOOT RAILROAD BRIDGE SPANNING THE RIVER AT LA VICOMTE SUR RANCE, FRANCE. HOWEVER, THE MISSION WAS ABORTED AFTER LOSING POWER TO THE #1 ENGINE. HE WAS KILLED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT CRASH LANDED AND EXPLODED ON THE AIRFIELD AT METFIELD.