Brother of Will A. Eagan who resided in Santa Paula, California.
Leonidas served as a Staff Sergeant, 557th Field Artillery Battalion, U.S. Army during World War II.
He resided in Colorado and was a member of the Colorado National Guard prior to the war.
His National Guard unit was called into full time active Army service on February 24, 1941, prior to the war, out of Colorado. He was noted, at that time, as being employed as a cook and also as Single, without dependents.
Leonidas was a passenger on Flight C-46D (#44-77507) which was taking 41 American soldiers that were ill or injured to hospitals in the Paris, France area and was then eventually going to take them all back to the United States. This flight occurred after Germany's surrender on May 7, 1945.
However this C-46, for unknown reasons, developed a fire in one of it's two engines and crashed near the village of Taillefontaine, near Paris.
Leonidas died in the "Line Of Duty", along with the flights 4 man crew and 40 others when this C-46D crashed.
Service # 20840147
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Crew who perished on C-46D #44-77507:
Pond, Rex L ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, Utah
Weid, Claude H ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, Illinois
Hill, Herbert H ~ Tech/3, Medical Team, Iowa
Vermillion, Edward V, Jr ~ Sgt, Medical Team, Virginia
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
41 Passengers who perished on C-46D #44-77507:
Barton, Graham J ~ Maj, Mississippi
Bordelon, Eugene A ~ Pvt, Louisiana
Brancati, Vincent J ~ Pvt, New York
Branstetter, George O ~ Pfc, Oklahoma
Callihan, Richard ~ Tec/5, Kentucky
Carpenter, Carl L ~ Tec/5, Georgia
Carter, Leonard S ~ Pfc, South Carolina
Cote, Wilfred S ~ T/Sgt, New Hampshire
D'Amico, Floyd ~ Pfc, New York
Davis, Homer P ~ Tec/4, Missouri
Doyon, Joseph O ~ Pfc, Maine
Eagan, Leonidas E ~ Pfc, Colorado
Erlich, Maurie ~ Pfc, Missouri
Farris, William C ~ Pfc, Oklahoma
Garrity, Jack M ~ Tec/5, California
Gorrell, Denver, Jr ~ Pvt, Ohio
Gronkowski, Edward M ~ Pvt, Illinois
Hutchings, Walter S ~ 1st Lt, Illinois
Icenhour, Eugene J ~ T/5, Pennsylvania
Jankowski, Henry E ~ Pfc, New York
Kittrell, Floyd A ~ Tec/4, Florida
Maron, Joseph P ~ Tec/5, Ohio
Martel, Arthur R ~ Corp, Maine
Martin, James A ~ Pfc, Florida
McDonald, George S ~ S/Sgt, Kentucky
McGill, James P ~ Pvt, North Carolina
McNeal, Robert ~ Pfc, Georgia
Owens, Woodrow W ~ Pfc, Tennessee
Perkins, Richard W ~ Corp, New Jersey
Plante, Amos A ~ Capt, New Jersey
Quillin, William H ~ 1st Lt
Ronn, Eric L ~ Pfc
Runolfson, Loren A ~ Pfc, Washington
Sanderfur, James M ~ Tec/5, Indiana
Schary, Jerome ~ Pvt, New York
Shaw, Charles H ~ Pvt, California
Sheppard, Marion W ~ Pfc, Virginia
Smith, Wilson F ~ Corp, California
Sysock, Peter ~ Pfc, New York
Thibeault, Emmett A ~ Pfc, Michigan
Zell, Wayne L ~ Tec/4, Indiana
Bio, Crew, & Passenger list by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Below mission info submitted by:
Dwight "Andy" Anderson
The date is May 23, 1945, just 15 days after Germany surrenders in World War II. An Army Air Corps C-46 "Commando" aircraft with a crew of four and carrying 40 wounded American soldiers and repatriated prisoners of war to hospitals in the Paris area -- and, then, finally home -- plunges from the skies just outside the village of Taillefontaine, near Paris, with one of its two engines on fire. All on board are killed, including the wounded on their way to recovery and home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Staff Sergeant Leonidas "Lon" Elmer Eagan, born 8 Dec 1909 at Fort Collins, Colorado, was the son of John Edward Eagan and Clarissa L (Williams) Eagan of Fort Collins.
In the 1910 census 4-month-old Lon is living with his parents and siblings John 22, Millie 21, Winnie 12, Will 7, Mary 5, Anna 2, at 417 West Myista in Fort Collins. His father is a general laborer.
Lon had an older sister, Josie, who died in 1904 at age 5. Sister Annie died in 1918 at age 10.
Lon's mother died 11 Mar 1924 at age 56. His father died in 1927 at age 65.
Did not find Lon in the 1920, 1930 or 1940 census. He was not with his sister Millie.
On his Oct 1940 draft registration 30-year-old Lon is living with his sister Millie Widger at 828 W Mountain Ave in Fort Collins. He is unemployed.
Lon enlisted 24 Feb 1941. He'd had two years of high school and was single without dependents. His civilian occupation was listed under cooks, except private family. He was 5'6" and weighed 135 lbs. He was assigned to the 557th Field Artillery Battalion.
Lon sailed for Glasgow with the 557th FA on 2 Jul 1944 aboard the SS Dominion Monarch from New York City. Then they entrained to Southampton for the channel crossing. The 557th fired its first volley at Questel, 2 ½ miles north of Brest on 23 Aug 1944. On VE Day the Bn was 17 mi E of Hannover. For the rest of May they were performing guard duty.
The NARA WWII casualty listings by state and county for Colorado show Eagan, Leonidas E, SSgt from Larimer County as DNB (Died Non-Battle) 23 May 1945 some 15 days after the end of hostilities on VE Day 8 May 1945. He was a passenger on the Army Air Corps C-46 Commando aircraft #44-77507 piloted by 1st Lt Rex Pond with a crew of three and carrying dozens of wounded soldiers, including some Germans, to hospitals in Paris. Don't know if Lon had been wounded or just helping out with the transport. All 44 on board were killed when they plunged from the sky just outside the village of Taillefontaine, 51 mi NE of Paris, with one of its two engines on fire. Eye witness account of Private Jay Barney: "I noticed a wisp of smoke coming from the right engine of the right wing. I thought to myself, 'This guy's in trouble.' It couldn't be over a half a mile away, so I concentrated on it. All at once, the wing came off, and the plane nosed over. It exploded on impact. The flames flew in the air 100 feet."
A cenotaph in memory of Lon was added to his parent's headstone at Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins.
Since his parents were deceased his Headstone Inscription and Interment Record was sent to his brother Will in California.
Contributor: Andy (48021049) •
Leonidas served as a Staff Sergeant, 557th Field Artillery Battalion, U.S. Army during World War II.
He resided in Colorado and was a member of the Colorado National Guard prior to the war.
His National Guard unit was called into full time active Army service on February 24, 1941, prior to the war, out of Colorado. He was noted, at that time, as being employed as a cook and also as Single, without dependents.
Leonidas was a passenger on Flight C-46D (#44-77507) which was taking 41 American soldiers that were ill or injured to hospitals in the Paris, France area and was then eventually going to take them all back to the United States. This flight occurred after Germany's surrender on May 7, 1945.
However this C-46, for unknown reasons, developed a fire in one of it's two engines and crashed near the village of Taillefontaine, near Paris.
Leonidas died in the "Line Of Duty", along with the flights 4 man crew and 40 others when this C-46D crashed.
Service # 20840147
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Crew who perished on C-46D #44-77507:
Pond, Rex L ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, Utah
Weid, Claude H ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, Illinois
Hill, Herbert H ~ Tech/3, Medical Team, Iowa
Vermillion, Edward V, Jr ~ Sgt, Medical Team, Virginia
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
41 Passengers who perished on C-46D #44-77507:
Barton, Graham J ~ Maj, Mississippi
Bordelon, Eugene A ~ Pvt, Louisiana
Brancati, Vincent J ~ Pvt, New York
Branstetter, George O ~ Pfc, Oklahoma
Callihan, Richard ~ Tec/5, Kentucky
Carpenter, Carl L ~ Tec/5, Georgia
Carter, Leonard S ~ Pfc, South Carolina
Cote, Wilfred S ~ T/Sgt, New Hampshire
D'Amico, Floyd ~ Pfc, New York
Davis, Homer P ~ Tec/4, Missouri
Doyon, Joseph O ~ Pfc, Maine
Eagan, Leonidas E ~ Pfc, Colorado
Erlich, Maurie ~ Pfc, Missouri
Farris, William C ~ Pfc, Oklahoma
Garrity, Jack M ~ Tec/5, California
Gorrell, Denver, Jr ~ Pvt, Ohio
Gronkowski, Edward M ~ Pvt, Illinois
Hutchings, Walter S ~ 1st Lt, Illinois
Icenhour, Eugene J ~ T/5, Pennsylvania
Jankowski, Henry E ~ Pfc, New York
Kittrell, Floyd A ~ Tec/4, Florida
Maron, Joseph P ~ Tec/5, Ohio
Martel, Arthur R ~ Corp, Maine
Martin, James A ~ Pfc, Florida
McDonald, George S ~ S/Sgt, Kentucky
McGill, James P ~ Pvt, North Carolina
McNeal, Robert ~ Pfc, Georgia
Owens, Woodrow W ~ Pfc, Tennessee
Perkins, Richard W ~ Corp, New Jersey
Plante, Amos A ~ Capt, New Jersey
Quillin, William H ~ 1st Lt
Ronn, Eric L ~ Pfc
Runolfson, Loren A ~ Pfc, Washington
Sanderfur, James M ~ Tec/5, Indiana
Schary, Jerome ~ Pvt, New York
Shaw, Charles H ~ Pvt, California
Sheppard, Marion W ~ Pfc, Virginia
Smith, Wilson F ~ Corp, California
Sysock, Peter ~ Pfc, New York
Thibeault, Emmett A ~ Pfc, Michigan
Zell, Wayne L ~ Tec/4, Indiana
Bio, Crew, & Passenger list by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Below mission info submitted by:
Dwight "Andy" Anderson
The date is May 23, 1945, just 15 days after Germany surrenders in World War II. An Army Air Corps C-46 "Commando" aircraft with a crew of four and carrying 40 wounded American soldiers and repatriated prisoners of war to hospitals in the Paris area -- and, then, finally home -- plunges from the skies just outside the village of Taillefontaine, near Paris, with one of its two engines on fire. All on board are killed, including the wounded on their way to recovery and home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Staff Sergeant Leonidas "Lon" Elmer Eagan, born 8 Dec 1909 at Fort Collins, Colorado, was the son of John Edward Eagan and Clarissa L (Williams) Eagan of Fort Collins.
In the 1910 census 4-month-old Lon is living with his parents and siblings John 22, Millie 21, Winnie 12, Will 7, Mary 5, Anna 2, at 417 West Myista in Fort Collins. His father is a general laborer.
Lon had an older sister, Josie, who died in 1904 at age 5. Sister Annie died in 1918 at age 10.
Lon's mother died 11 Mar 1924 at age 56. His father died in 1927 at age 65.
Did not find Lon in the 1920, 1930 or 1940 census. He was not with his sister Millie.
On his Oct 1940 draft registration 30-year-old Lon is living with his sister Millie Widger at 828 W Mountain Ave in Fort Collins. He is unemployed.
Lon enlisted 24 Feb 1941. He'd had two years of high school and was single without dependents. His civilian occupation was listed under cooks, except private family. He was 5'6" and weighed 135 lbs. He was assigned to the 557th Field Artillery Battalion.
Lon sailed for Glasgow with the 557th FA on 2 Jul 1944 aboard the SS Dominion Monarch from New York City. Then they entrained to Southampton for the channel crossing. The 557th fired its first volley at Questel, 2 ½ miles north of Brest on 23 Aug 1944. On VE Day the Bn was 17 mi E of Hannover. For the rest of May they were performing guard duty.
The NARA WWII casualty listings by state and county for Colorado show Eagan, Leonidas E, SSgt from Larimer County as DNB (Died Non-Battle) 23 May 1945 some 15 days after the end of hostilities on VE Day 8 May 1945. He was a passenger on the Army Air Corps C-46 Commando aircraft #44-77507 piloted by 1st Lt Rex Pond with a crew of three and carrying dozens of wounded soldiers, including some Germans, to hospitals in Paris. Don't know if Lon had been wounded or just helping out with the transport. All 44 on board were killed when they plunged from the sky just outside the village of Taillefontaine, 51 mi NE of Paris, with one of its two engines on fire. Eye witness account of Private Jay Barney: "I noticed a wisp of smoke coming from the right engine of the right wing. I thought to myself, 'This guy's in trouble.' It couldn't be over a half a mile away, so I concentrated on it. All at once, the wing came off, and the plane nosed over. It exploded on impact. The flames flew in the air 100 feet."
A cenotaph in memory of Lon was added to his parent's headstone at Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins.
Since his parents were deceased his Headstone Inscription and Interment Record was sent to his brother Will in California.
Contributor: Andy (48021049) •
Brother of Will A. Eagan who resided in Santa Paula, California.
Leonidas served as a Staff Sergeant, 557th Field Artillery Battalion, U.S. Army during World War II.
He resided in Colorado and was a member of the Colorado National Guard prior to the war.
His National Guard unit was called into full time active Army service on February 24, 1941, prior to the war, out of Colorado. He was noted, at that time, as being employed as a cook and also as Single, without dependents.
Leonidas was a passenger on Flight C-46D (#44-77507) which was taking 41 American soldiers that were ill or injured to hospitals in the Paris, France area and was then eventually going to take them all back to the United States. This flight occurred after Germany's surrender on May 7, 1945.
However this C-46, for unknown reasons, developed a fire in one of it's two engines and crashed near the village of Taillefontaine, near Paris.
Leonidas died in the "Line Of Duty", along with the flights 4 man crew and 40 others when this C-46D crashed.
Service # 20840147
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Crew who perished on C-46D #44-77507:
Pond, Rex L ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, Utah
Weid, Claude H ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, Illinois
Hill, Herbert H ~ Tech/3, Medical Team, Iowa
Vermillion, Edward V, Jr ~ Sgt, Medical Team, Virginia
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
41 Passengers who perished on C-46D #44-77507:
Barton, Graham J ~ Maj, Mississippi
Bordelon, Eugene A ~ Pvt, Louisiana
Brancati, Vincent J ~ Pvt, New York
Branstetter, George O ~ Pfc, Oklahoma
Callihan, Richard ~ Tec/5, Kentucky
Carpenter, Carl L ~ Tec/5, Georgia
Carter, Leonard S ~ Pfc, South Carolina
Cote, Wilfred S ~ T/Sgt, New Hampshire
D'Amico, Floyd ~ Pfc, New York
Davis, Homer P ~ Tec/4, Missouri
Doyon, Joseph O ~ Pfc, Maine
Eagan, Leonidas E ~ Pfc, Colorado
Erlich, Maurie ~ Pfc, Missouri
Farris, William C ~ Pfc, Oklahoma
Garrity, Jack M ~ Tec/5, California
Gorrell, Denver, Jr ~ Pvt, Ohio
Gronkowski, Edward M ~ Pvt, Illinois
Hutchings, Walter S ~ 1st Lt, Illinois
Icenhour, Eugene J ~ T/5, Pennsylvania
Jankowski, Henry E ~ Pfc, New York
Kittrell, Floyd A ~ Tec/4, Florida
Maron, Joseph P ~ Tec/5, Ohio
Martel, Arthur R ~ Corp, Maine
Martin, James A ~ Pfc, Florida
McDonald, George S ~ S/Sgt, Kentucky
McGill, James P ~ Pvt, North Carolina
McNeal, Robert ~ Pfc, Georgia
Owens, Woodrow W ~ Pfc, Tennessee
Perkins, Richard W ~ Corp, New Jersey
Plante, Amos A ~ Capt, New Jersey
Quillin, William H ~ 1st Lt
Ronn, Eric L ~ Pfc
Runolfson, Loren A ~ Pfc, Washington
Sanderfur, James M ~ Tec/5, Indiana
Schary, Jerome ~ Pvt, New York
Shaw, Charles H ~ Pvt, California
Sheppard, Marion W ~ Pfc, Virginia
Smith, Wilson F ~ Corp, California
Sysock, Peter ~ Pfc, New York
Thibeault, Emmett A ~ Pfc, Michigan
Zell, Wayne L ~ Tec/4, Indiana
Bio, Crew, & Passenger list by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Below mission info submitted by:
Dwight "Andy" Anderson
The date is May 23, 1945, just 15 days after Germany surrenders in World War II. An Army Air Corps C-46 "Commando" aircraft with a crew of four and carrying 40 wounded American soldiers and repatriated prisoners of war to hospitals in the Paris area -- and, then, finally home -- plunges from the skies just outside the village of Taillefontaine, near Paris, with one of its two engines on fire. All on board are killed, including the wounded on their way to recovery and home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Staff Sergeant Leonidas "Lon" Elmer Eagan, born 8 Dec 1909 at Fort Collins, Colorado, was the son of John Edward Eagan and Clarissa L (Williams) Eagan of Fort Collins.
In the 1910 census 4-month-old Lon is living with his parents and siblings John 22, Millie 21, Winnie 12, Will 7, Mary 5, Anna 2, at 417 West Myista in Fort Collins. His father is a general laborer.
Lon had an older sister, Josie, who died in 1904 at age 5. Sister Annie died in 1918 at age 10.
Lon's mother died 11 Mar 1924 at age 56. His father died in 1927 at age 65.
Did not find Lon in the 1920, 1930 or 1940 census. He was not with his sister Millie.
On his Oct 1940 draft registration 30-year-old Lon is living with his sister Millie Widger at 828 W Mountain Ave in Fort Collins. He is unemployed.
Lon enlisted 24 Feb 1941. He'd had two years of high school and was single without dependents. His civilian occupation was listed under cooks, except private family. He was 5'6" and weighed 135 lbs. He was assigned to the 557th Field Artillery Battalion.
Lon sailed for Glasgow with the 557th FA on 2 Jul 1944 aboard the SS Dominion Monarch from New York City. Then they entrained to Southampton for the channel crossing. The 557th fired its first volley at Questel, 2 ½ miles north of Brest on 23 Aug 1944. On VE Day the Bn was 17 mi E of Hannover. For the rest of May they were performing guard duty.
The NARA WWII casualty listings by state and county for Colorado show Eagan, Leonidas E, SSgt from Larimer County as DNB (Died Non-Battle) 23 May 1945 some 15 days after the end of hostilities on VE Day 8 May 1945. He was a passenger on the Army Air Corps C-46 Commando aircraft #44-77507 piloted by 1st Lt Rex Pond with a crew of three and carrying dozens of wounded soldiers, including some Germans, to hospitals in Paris. Don't know if Lon had been wounded or just helping out with the transport. All 44 on board were killed when they plunged from the sky just outside the village of Taillefontaine, 51 mi NE of Paris, with one of its two engines on fire. Eye witness account of Private Jay Barney: "I noticed a wisp of smoke coming from the right engine of the right wing. I thought to myself, 'This guy's in trouble.' It couldn't be over a half a mile away, so I concentrated on it. All at once, the wing came off, and the plane nosed over. It exploded on impact. The flames flew in the air 100 feet."
A cenotaph in memory of Lon was added to his parent's headstone at Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins.
Since his parents were deceased his Headstone Inscription and Interment Record was sent to his brother Will in California.
Contributor: Andy (48021049) •
Leonidas served as a Staff Sergeant, 557th Field Artillery Battalion, U.S. Army during World War II.
He resided in Colorado and was a member of the Colorado National Guard prior to the war.
His National Guard unit was called into full time active Army service on February 24, 1941, prior to the war, out of Colorado. He was noted, at that time, as being employed as a cook and also as Single, without dependents.
Leonidas was a passenger on Flight C-46D (#44-77507) which was taking 41 American soldiers that were ill or injured to hospitals in the Paris, France area and was then eventually going to take them all back to the United States. This flight occurred after Germany's surrender on May 7, 1945.
However this C-46, for unknown reasons, developed a fire in one of it's two engines and crashed near the village of Taillefontaine, near Paris.
Leonidas died in the "Line Of Duty", along with the flights 4 man crew and 40 others when this C-46D crashed.
Service # 20840147
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Crew who perished on C-46D #44-77507:
Pond, Rex L ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, Utah
Weid, Claude H ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, Illinois
Hill, Herbert H ~ Tech/3, Medical Team, Iowa
Vermillion, Edward V, Jr ~ Sgt, Medical Team, Virginia
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
41 Passengers who perished on C-46D #44-77507:
Barton, Graham J ~ Maj, Mississippi
Bordelon, Eugene A ~ Pvt, Louisiana
Brancati, Vincent J ~ Pvt, New York
Branstetter, George O ~ Pfc, Oklahoma
Callihan, Richard ~ Tec/5, Kentucky
Carpenter, Carl L ~ Tec/5, Georgia
Carter, Leonard S ~ Pfc, South Carolina
Cote, Wilfred S ~ T/Sgt, New Hampshire
D'Amico, Floyd ~ Pfc, New York
Davis, Homer P ~ Tec/4, Missouri
Doyon, Joseph O ~ Pfc, Maine
Eagan, Leonidas E ~ Pfc, Colorado
Erlich, Maurie ~ Pfc, Missouri
Farris, William C ~ Pfc, Oklahoma
Garrity, Jack M ~ Tec/5, California
Gorrell, Denver, Jr ~ Pvt, Ohio
Gronkowski, Edward M ~ Pvt, Illinois
Hutchings, Walter S ~ 1st Lt, Illinois
Icenhour, Eugene J ~ T/5, Pennsylvania
Jankowski, Henry E ~ Pfc, New York
Kittrell, Floyd A ~ Tec/4, Florida
Maron, Joseph P ~ Tec/5, Ohio
Martel, Arthur R ~ Corp, Maine
Martin, James A ~ Pfc, Florida
McDonald, George S ~ S/Sgt, Kentucky
McGill, James P ~ Pvt, North Carolina
McNeal, Robert ~ Pfc, Georgia
Owens, Woodrow W ~ Pfc, Tennessee
Perkins, Richard W ~ Corp, New Jersey
Plante, Amos A ~ Capt, New Jersey
Quillin, William H ~ 1st Lt
Ronn, Eric L ~ Pfc
Runolfson, Loren A ~ Pfc, Washington
Sanderfur, James M ~ Tec/5, Indiana
Schary, Jerome ~ Pvt, New York
Shaw, Charles H ~ Pvt, California
Sheppard, Marion W ~ Pfc, Virginia
Smith, Wilson F ~ Corp, California
Sysock, Peter ~ Pfc, New York
Thibeault, Emmett A ~ Pfc, Michigan
Zell, Wayne L ~ Tec/4, Indiana
Bio, Crew, & Passenger list by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Below mission info submitted by:
Dwight "Andy" Anderson
The date is May 23, 1945, just 15 days after Germany surrenders in World War II. An Army Air Corps C-46 "Commando" aircraft with a crew of four and carrying 40 wounded American soldiers and repatriated prisoners of war to hospitals in the Paris area -- and, then, finally home -- plunges from the skies just outside the village of Taillefontaine, near Paris, with one of its two engines on fire. All on board are killed, including the wounded on their way to recovery and home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Staff Sergeant Leonidas "Lon" Elmer Eagan, born 8 Dec 1909 at Fort Collins, Colorado, was the son of John Edward Eagan and Clarissa L (Williams) Eagan of Fort Collins.
In the 1910 census 4-month-old Lon is living with his parents and siblings John 22, Millie 21, Winnie 12, Will 7, Mary 5, Anna 2, at 417 West Myista in Fort Collins. His father is a general laborer.
Lon had an older sister, Josie, who died in 1904 at age 5. Sister Annie died in 1918 at age 10.
Lon's mother died 11 Mar 1924 at age 56. His father died in 1927 at age 65.
Did not find Lon in the 1920, 1930 or 1940 census. He was not with his sister Millie.
On his Oct 1940 draft registration 30-year-old Lon is living with his sister Millie Widger at 828 W Mountain Ave in Fort Collins. He is unemployed.
Lon enlisted 24 Feb 1941. He'd had two years of high school and was single without dependents. His civilian occupation was listed under cooks, except private family. He was 5'6" and weighed 135 lbs. He was assigned to the 557th Field Artillery Battalion.
Lon sailed for Glasgow with the 557th FA on 2 Jul 1944 aboard the SS Dominion Monarch from New York City. Then they entrained to Southampton for the channel crossing. The 557th fired its first volley at Questel, 2 ½ miles north of Brest on 23 Aug 1944. On VE Day the Bn was 17 mi E of Hannover. For the rest of May they were performing guard duty.
The NARA WWII casualty listings by state and county for Colorado show Eagan, Leonidas E, SSgt from Larimer County as DNB (Died Non-Battle) 23 May 1945 some 15 days after the end of hostilities on VE Day 8 May 1945. He was a passenger on the Army Air Corps C-46 Commando aircraft #44-77507 piloted by 1st Lt Rex Pond with a crew of three and carrying dozens of wounded soldiers, including some Germans, to hospitals in Paris. Don't know if Lon had been wounded or just helping out with the transport. All 44 on board were killed when they plunged from the sky just outside the village of Taillefontaine, 51 mi NE of Paris, with one of its two engines on fire. Eye witness account of Private Jay Barney: "I noticed a wisp of smoke coming from the right engine of the right wing. I thought to myself, 'This guy's in trouble.' It couldn't be over a half a mile away, so I concentrated on it. All at once, the wing came off, and the plane nosed over. It exploded on impact. The flames flew in the air 100 feet."
A cenotaph in memory of Lon was added to his parent's headstone at Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins.
Since his parents were deceased his Headstone Inscription and Interment Record was sent to his brother Will in California.
Contributor: Andy (48021049) •
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