Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, she was not officially declared by the military as being dead until January 26, 1946, 1 year and 1 day after she went missing as was the custom.
~
Thelma served as a Second Lieutenant & Nurse, 820th Medical Air Evacuation Squadron, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
She resided in Tuscola County, Michigan prior to the war.
Thelma was assigned to a mission on C-46D #44-77339, 58th Squadron, 375th Troop Carrier Group, U.S. Army Air Force.
C-46D #44-77339 took off, with a crew of 7, from Biak Island, Papua, Indonesia on a medical evacuation mission of wounded soldiers that were to be picked up at Tacloban, Eastern Visayas, Leyte Province, Philippines.
After a stop over in Peleliu Island they went missing somewhere between Peleliu Island and Tacloban for an unknown reason during the war.
Thelma was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission.
Service ID: N-731363.
Thelma is also among the Tablets of the missing at the Manila American Cemetery.
~
Airmen who perished on C-46D #44-77339:
Billiter, Orla ~ Corp, Medic, KY
Comer, Cecil C ~ Capt, Pilot, WV
La Fave, Thelma M ~ 2nd Lt, Nurse, MI
Lahrman, John A ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, OH
Oliver, Robert E ~ Sgt, Medic, MN
Sampson, Glenn K ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, MI
Weeks, Joseph P ~ T/Sgt, Engineer, CT
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~
Parents: Herbert and Alice (Rochelean)LaFave
Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, she was not officially declared by the military as being dead until January 26, 1946, 1 year and 1 day after she went missing as was the custom.
~
Thelma served as a Second Lieutenant & Nurse, 820th Medical Air Evacuation Squadron, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
She resided in Tuscola County, Michigan prior to the war.
Thelma was assigned to a mission on C-46D #44-77339, 58th Squadron, 375th Troop Carrier Group, U.S. Army Air Force.
C-46D #44-77339 took off, with a crew of 7, from Biak Island, Papua, Indonesia on a medical evacuation mission of wounded soldiers that were to be picked up at Tacloban, Eastern Visayas, Leyte Province, Philippines.
After a stop over in Peleliu Island they went missing somewhere between Peleliu Island and Tacloban for an unknown reason during the war.
Thelma was declared "Missing In Action" on this mission.
Service ID: N-731363.
Thelma is also among the Tablets of the missing at the Manila American Cemetery.
~
Airmen who perished on C-46D #44-77339:
Billiter, Orla ~ Corp, Medic, KY
Comer, Cecil C ~ Capt, Pilot, WV
La Fave, Thelma M ~ 2nd Lt, Nurse, MI
Lahrman, John A ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, OH
Oliver, Robert E ~ Sgt, Medic, MN
Sampson, Glenn K ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, MI
Weeks, Joseph P ~ T/Sgt, Engineer, CT
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
~
Parents: Herbert and Alice (Rochelean)LaFave
Family Members
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![]()
Murl E LaFave
1912–2000
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John LaFave
1914–1914
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![]()
Melva Alice LaFave Bidigare
1916–1977
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Frank James LaFave
1917–2001
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![]()
Jack V LaFave
1918–1992
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![]()
2LT Thelma Myrtle La Fave
1920–1945
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![]()
Catherine Mildred LaFave Rick
1924–2003
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![]()
Virginia Magdelyn LaFave Sirbaugh
1925–1989
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![]()
Paul Joseph LaFave
1926–2008
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![]()
Ruth Marie "Tootsie" LaFave Russell
1929–2007
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