World War II Honoree

Lance Cleo Wade

Hometown

Reklaw, Texas

Honored By

A Grateful American

AMERICAN CITIZEN WHO HELD THE RANK OF WING COMMANDER AND SERVED AS A PILOT IN THE ROYAL AIR FORCE VOLUNTEER RESERVE. PARTICIPATED IN THE U.S./ROYAL AIR FORCE REFRESHER FLYING COURSE AT SPARTAN COLLEGE OF AERONAUTICS AND TECHNOLOGY, TULSA, OKLAHOMA. ENLISTED IN THE ROYAL AIR FORCE IN CANADA IN DECEMBER 1940. RECEIVED HIS COMMISSION AS A PILOT OFFICER IN APRIL 1941. EARNED 23 VICTORIES AGAINST ENEMY AIRCRAFT WITH NO. 33 AND NO. 145 SQUADRONS, ROYAL AIR FORCE (FIGHTER COMMAND) AND WAS AWARDED THE BRITISH DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS AND TWO BARS. KILLED IN A FLYING ACCIDENT AT THE AGE OF 28 WHILE SERVING WITH THE STAFF OF THE DESERT AIR FORCE WHEN HIS TAYLORCRAFT AUSTER AOP MK. III (MT415) CRASHED ON TAKE-OFF AT FOGGIA, ITALY ON JANUARY 12, 1944. POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE BRITISH DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER ON JANUARY 25, 1944. BURIED AT MCKNIGHT CEMETERY, CUSHING, NACOGDOCHES COUNTY, TEXAS.