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PFC Leo W Matson

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PFC Leo W Matson Veteran

Birth
New York, USA
Death
6 Sep 1945 (aged 23–24)
At Sea
Burial
Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines Add to Map
Plot
A, Row 14, Grave 62
Memorial ID
View Source
Brother of Mrs. Elsie Smithwick who resided in Farmerville, Louisiana.

Leo served as a Private First Class, 1125th Military Police Company, Aviation, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.

He resided in Washington County, Rhode Island prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army on October 23, 1942 in Providence, Rhode Island. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Fishermen and also as Single, without dependents.

Leo died in the "Line Of Duty" when the C-47A "Sure Skin" (#42-23860), on which he was a passenger, apparently caught fire and exploded for an unknown reason and crashed in the San Pedro Bay close to Leyte during bad weather.

This crash occurred 4 days after World War II had ended.

The entire crew of 4 and all 26 passengers perished on this flight.

Service # 31183475

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Crew lost on C-47A #42-23860:

Backius, John C ~ Corp, Crew Chief, New York
Gennette, Robert E ~ FO, Pilot, California
Gess, Richard A ~ Corp, Crew Chief, California
Simmons, Doyle L ~ Corp, Radio Operator, Utah

Passengers lost on C-47A #42-23860:
( only 23 of 26 are currently known )

Alderette, Manuel S ~ Pfc, New Mexico
Barone, Joseph M ~ Pfc, New York
Bloomer, George W ~ CWO, New York
Campbell, William B ~ Sgt, New York
Dunlap, Paul P ~ T/5, Kentucky
Ellis, James B ~ Pvt, Alabama
Ford, Kingdon G ~ Sgt, Pennsylvania
Gallick, Paul A ~ S/Sgt, Indiana
Gehringer, Thomas E ~ Pfc, Michigan
Huber, Ernest ~ Pfc, Illinois
James, Broadus F ~ Corp, North Carolina
Kelly, Edward M ~ T/3, Illinois
Knox, Noel N ~ T/5, Minnesota
Kranz, Lester M ~ Pfc, New York
Markulis, Joseph S ~ Pvt, Michigan
Matson, Leo W ~ Pfc, Rhode Island
Meyers, Robert H ~ S/Sgt, California
Miles, Milton E ~ T/5, New York
Nipher, Carlton K ~ S/Sgt, New York
Peragine, Joseph F ~ Pfc, New York
Robinson, Melvin R ~ Sgt, North Carolina
Ruchti, Grant C ~ Pfc, Utah
Smith, Lloyd E ~ T/5, Kentucky

Bio, Crew Report & Passenger list by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Brother of Mrs. Elsie Smithwick who resided in Farmerville, Louisiana.

Leo served as a Private First Class, 1125th Military Police Company, Aviation, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.

He resided in Washington County, Rhode Island prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army on October 23, 1942 in Providence, Rhode Island. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Fishermen and also as Single, without dependents.

Leo died in the "Line Of Duty" when the C-47A "Sure Skin" (#42-23860), on which he was a passenger, apparently caught fire and exploded for an unknown reason and crashed in the San Pedro Bay close to Leyte during bad weather.

This crash occurred 4 days after World War II had ended.

The entire crew of 4 and all 26 passengers perished on this flight.

Service # 31183475

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Crew lost on C-47A #42-23860:

Backius, John C ~ Corp, Crew Chief, New York
Gennette, Robert E ~ FO, Pilot, California
Gess, Richard A ~ Corp, Crew Chief, California
Simmons, Doyle L ~ Corp, Radio Operator, Utah

Passengers lost on C-47A #42-23860:
( only 23 of 26 are currently known )

Alderette, Manuel S ~ Pfc, New Mexico
Barone, Joseph M ~ Pfc, New York
Bloomer, George W ~ CWO, New York
Campbell, William B ~ Sgt, New York
Dunlap, Paul P ~ T/5, Kentucky
Ellis, James B ~ Pvt, Alabama
Ford, Kingdon G ~ Sgt, Pennsylvania
Gallick, Paul A ~ S/Sgt, Indiana
Gehringer, Thomas E ~ Pfc, Michigan
Huber, Ernest ~ Pfc, Illinois
James, Broadus F ~ Corp, North Carolina
Kelly, Edward M ~ T/3, Illinois
Knox, Noel N ~ T/5, Minnesota
Kranz, Lester M ~ Pfc, New York
Markulis, Joseph S ~ Pvt, Michigan
Matson, Leo W ~ Pfc, Rhode Island
Meyers, Robert H ~ S/Sgt, California
Miles, Milton E ~ T/5, New York
Nipher, Carlton K ~ S/Sgt, New York
Peragine, Joseph F ~ Pfc, New York
Robinson, Melvin R ~ Sgt, North Carolina
Ruchti, Grant C ~ Pfc, Utah
Smith, Lloyd E ~ T/5, Kentucky

Bio, Crew Report & Passenger list by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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  • Maintained by: MAJ Jimmy Cotton
  • Originally Created by: War Graves
  • Added: Aug 8, 2010
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56784048/leo_w-matson: accessed ), memorial page for PFC Leo W Matson (1921–6 Sep 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56784048, citing Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines; Maintained by MAJ Jimmy Cotton (contributor 48803557).