S/Sgt. Arthur Lee Babcock
Born: 9 December 1921 – Alameda, California
Parents: William H. Babcock & Bird Brown-Babcock
Siblings: Sgt. William B. Babcock, Vera, Kenneth, Albert
Hometown:
– 615 North Eighth Avenue – Maywood, Illinois
Education: Lincoln Grade School
– Proviso Township High School
Class of 1939
Selective Service Registration: 16 February 1942
– Contact Person: W. H. Babcock – father
– Employment: unemployed
Inducted:
– 3 July 1942 – Chicago, Illinois
– U. S. Army
Training:
– Lakeland Army Airfield – West Palm Beach, Florida
– Martindale Army Airfield – San Antonio, Texas
– Laredo Army Airfield – Laredo, Texas
– Lowery Army Airfield – Denver, Colorado
– Muroc Army Airfield – Muroc, California
– waist gunner
Unit: 372nd Bomb Squadron, 307th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 13th Air Force
Plane: B-24
Plane’s Serial Number: 44-41400
Stationed:
– Munda Airfield, New Georgia Island – 28 January 1944
– Truk Island – His plane was the first bomber to land on the island – February 1944
– Mokerang Airfield, Los Negros Island – 29 April 1944
– Wakde Airfield – Wakde Island – 24 August 1944
– Pitu Airfield, Morotai Island – 18 October 1944 – December 1944
Engagements:
– Battle of the Leyte
Killed in Action:
– 2 December 1944
– his plane collided with another plane on a mission
– all the members of both crews were killed
Note: According to other crews, their planes were going through a cloud while flying off the coast of Cabu Island, when they saw a huge explosion to their left. It was 12:43 P.M. The crews saw four large sections of a B-24 falling from the sky and hitting the island.
Buried:
– American Military Cemetery – Manila, Philippine Islands
– Plot: F Row: 1 Grave: 48
