World War II Honoree

Lewis Cleveland Balser, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Attleboro, Massachusetts

Honored By

Lewis Cleveland Balser, IV

Relationship

Grandson

HE SERVED AS A STAFF SERGEANT DURING WWII. ON MAY 7TH, 1945, HE WAS PART OF THE CREW ON THE B-29 'EMPIRE EXPRESS' (42-63549) THAT HAD AN INCIDENT IN THE SOUTH ISLAND OF KYUSHU. HE WAS THE RADAR GUNNER THAT DAY AND THEIR PLANE WAS CRASHED INTO BY A JAPANESE PLANE. THE 'EMPIRE EXPRESS' CRASHED INTO HACHIMAN MOUNTAIN NEAR THE VILLAGE OF YAMAGUCHI, KILLING HIM. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE 20TH AIR FORCE, 505TH BOMBER GROUP, 483RD BOMBER SQUADRON.