Son of Joseph Francis Sass, Sr. (1897-1929) and Adelaide McAleer Sass Morton (1899-1982) of Brooklyn, New York.

1920 United States Federal Census (13 January 1920): Brooklyn Borough, Kings County, New York (sheet 12A, family 950, 317 44th Street) – Joseph Sass (4/12 New York).

1930 United States Federal Census (26 April 1930): Brooklyn, Kings County, New York (sheet 9A, family 228, 667 47th Street) – Joseph Sass (10 New York).

He was graduated from Our Lady Queen of Peace High School in North Arlington, New Jersey, where he lived with his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Collishaw.

1940 United States Federal Census (04 April 1940): Borough of Brooklyn (Ward 7), New York, Kings County, New York (sheet 3A, household 56, 464 48th Street) – Joseph Morton (Sass) (20 Brooklyn, New York). His family had lived in the same place in 1935.

Joseph Francis Sass (21, 20 August 1919, Brooklyn, New York), a resident of 21 Willis Rd., N. Arlington, Bergen County, New Jersey, signed up for his World War II Draft Registration Card (Serial No. 694, Order No. 670) on 16 October 1940 in N. Arlington, Bergen County, New Jersey. He was employed by his uncle, Mr. Frank Collishaw. Joseph listed his aunt, Mrs. Edna Collishaw, as the person who would always know his address. He was described as 5' 10½" in height, 168 lbs., with a light complexion, brown hair and blue eyes.

Joseph F. Sass (1919 New York), a resident of Bergen County, New Jersey, enlisted as a Private (S/N 32064635) in the U.S. Army on 01 April 1941, in Newark, New Jersey. He was single, had completed 4 years of high school and had been working as a mechanic.

BERGEN'S EIGHTH QUOTA COMPLETE AS 68 JOIN ARMY
New careers at $21-a-month buck privates started today for 68 more Bergen County men who went down the line for induction into the nation's armed service.

This was the second and final portion of Bergen's eighth-quota contingent of 213 Selective Service men. All were sent for induction at the 113th Infantry Armory at Newark. The Bergen men who passed the stiff examinations were put aboard a special train bound for Fort Dix where they will be examined again and interviewed during a stay of several days before being given permanent assignments probably to Southern military posts

Bergen Draftees Entering Service Today
Board No. 17, Lyndhurst (Lyndhurst and North Arlington)
694 Joseph Francis Sass 21 Willis Road, North Arlington
Source: The Record (Hackensack, New Jersey), Tuesday, 01 April 1941, page 2.

He saw service in Hawaii prior to the Pearl Harbor attack on 07 December 1941.

North Arlington Man Now Sergeant
(Special to the Berger Evening Record)

San Francisco, Nov. 9 – Joseph F. Sass of 21 Willis Road, North Arlington, N. J. on duty somewhere in Hawaii had been promoted to sergeant. Source: The Record (Hackensack, New Jersey), Monday, 09 November 1942, page 5.

Returning to the United States in 1943, Joseph entered the Army Air Force Training School at La Junta, Colorado and received his commission and wings 08 February 1944. Lt. Sass was assigned to the 68th Squadron, 433rd Troop Carrier Group, U.S. Army Air Force and sent back overseas.

January 1944
Joseph F. Sass (S/N 32064635) was hospitalized for a while suffering from "acute Nasopharyngitis". He was discharged to duty.

March 1945
Flight Officer Joseph F. Sass was a passenger on a Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando (C-46D #44-77360) with the 70th Squadron, 433rd Troop Carrier Group, U.S. Army Air Force. The C-46D #44-77360 took off at about 1630, 15 March 1945, with a crew of 4 and 21 passengers, on a ferrying mission from Elmore Field, Mindoro, Philippine Islands to Tarauan, Leyte, Philippine Islands. On approach in poor weather conditions, the plane crashed into a mountain located 6 kms (3.75 miles) northwest of San Roque, south of Tanauan, Leyte, Philippine Islands. The entire crew and all the passengers (a number of them medical passengers) were killed. Source: Missing Air Crew Reports (MACR) # 15996.

He was first buried in 7740 USAF Cemetery, Leyte #1, Palo, Leyte, Philippines Islands – Grave 149 (D-D 6966). After the war (autumn of 1947) his remains (along with 8,568 other American soldiers) were disinterred and brought to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum. From there, according to the wishes of his next of kin (mother, Mrs. Adelaide Morton), Flight Officer Joseph F. Sass was buried in his final resting place in the 7701 Ft. McKinley Cemetery (now known as the Manila American Cemetery) – Plot L, Row 6, Grave 18.

Awards: Air Medal.

Crew who perished on C-46D #44-77360:

Bruno, Samuel A ~ Sgt, Radio Operator, PA
Haslam, Wilson B ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, WA
Poillucci, Arthur T ~ S/Sgt, Engineer, NY
Reed, Myles V ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, NJ

Passengers who perished on C-46D #44-77360:

Adkins, Chester C ~ Pfc, IL
Baird, John H, Jr ~ 1st Lt, MO
Baker, Raymond E ~ T/4, WA
Bekenstein, Charles J ~ T/5, D.C.
Compton, Lewis G, Jr ~ Capt, TX
Davis, Guy J ~ Pfc, NC
Dougherty, Charles E ~ Capt, WA
Enochs, Charles S ~ Capt, CO
Fatula, Andrew ~ Sgt, PA
Frankforther, Lewis L ~ Pvt, OH
Gonzalez, Alejandro ~ S/Sgt, TX
Hageman, Jack F ~ Pfc, OH
Horning, Adam E ~ T/5, MI
Jacobs, James A ~ 2nd Lt, WV
Sass, Joseph F ~ FO, NJ
Sermersheim, Joseph J, Jr, Corp, KY
Turner, Charles H ~ Capt, AL
Walton, Robert M ~ Corp, PA
Weston, Bruce S ~ T/5, VA
Wigen, Ken J ~ Corp, WI
Willis, John R ~ 1st Lt, NY

(Crew list and links by: Russ Pickett )

Son of Joseph Francis Sass, Sr. (1897-1929) and Adelaide McAleer Sass Morton (1899-1982) of Brooklyn, New York.

1920 United States Federal Census (13 January 1920): Brooklyn Borough, Kings County, New York (sheet 12A, family 950, 317 44th Street) – Joseph Sass (4/12 New York).

1930 United States Federal Census (26 April 1930): Brooklyn, Kings County, New York (sheet 9A, family 228, 667 47th Street) – Joseph Sass (10 New York).

He was graduated from Our Lady Queen of Peace High School in North Arlington, New Jersey, where he lived with his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Collishaw.

1940 United States Federal Census (04 April 1940): Borough of Brooklyn (Ward 7), New York, Kings County, New York (sheet 3A, household 56, 464 48th Street) – Joseph Morton (Sass) (20 Brooklyn, New York). His family had lived in the same place in 1935.

Joseph Francis Sass (21, 20 August 1919, Brooklyn, New York), a resident of 21 Willis Rd., N. Arlington, Bergen County, New Jersey, signed up for his World War II Draft Registration Card (Serial No. 694, Order No. 670) on 16 October 1940 in N. Arlington, Bergen County, New Jersey. He was employed by his uncle, Mr. Frank Collishaw. Joseph listed his aunt, Mrs. Edna Collishaw, as the person who would always know his address. He was described as 5' 10½" in height, 168 lbs., with a light complexion, brown hair and blue eyes.

Joseph F. Sass (1919 New York), a resident of Bergen County, New Jersey, enlisted as a Private (S/N 32064635) in the U.S. Army on 01 April 1941, in Newark, New Jersey. He was single, had completed 4 years of high school and had been working as a mechanic.

BERGEN'S EIGHTH QUOTA COMPLETE AS 68 JOIN ARMY
New careers at $21-a-month buck privates started today for 68 more Bergen County men who went down the line for induction into the nation's armed service.

This was the second and final portion of Bergen's eighth-quota contingent of 213 Selective Service men. All were sent for induction at the 113th Infantry Armory at Newark. The Bergen men who passed the stiff examinations were put aboard a special train bound for Fort Dix where they will be examined again and interviewed during a stay of several days before being given permanent assignments probably to Southern military posts

Bergen Draftees Entering Service Today
Board No. 17, Lyndhurst (Lyndhurst and North Arlington)
694 Joseph Francis Sass 21 Willis Road, North Arlington
Source: The Record (Hackensack, New Jersey), Tuesday, 01 April 1941, page 2.

He saw service in Hawaii prior to the Pearl Harbor attack on 07 December 1941.

North Arlington Man Now Sergeant
(Special to the Berger Evening Record)

San Francisco, Nov. 9 – Joseph F. Sass of 21 Willis Road, North Arlington, N. J. on duty somewhere in Hawaii had been promoted to sergeant. Source: The Record (Hackensack, New Jersey), Monday, 09 November 1942, page 5.

Returning to the United States in 1943, Joseph entered the Army Air Force Training School at La Junta, Colorado and received his commission and wings 08 February 1944. Lt. Sass was assigned to the 68th Squadron, 433rd Troop Carrier Group, U.S. Army Air Force and sent back overseas.

January 1944
Joseph F. Sass (S/N 32064635) was hospitalized for a while suffering from "acute Nasopharyngitis". He was discharged to duty.

March 1945
Flight Officer Joseph F. Sass was a passenger on a Curtiss C-46D-5-CU Commando (C-46D #44-77360) with the 70th Squadron, 433rd Troop Carrier Group, U.S. Army Air Force. The C-46D #44-77360 took off at about 1630, 15 March 1945, with a crew of 4 and 21 passengers, on a ferrying mission from Elmore Field, Mindoro, Philippine Islands to Tarauan, Leyte, Philippine Islands. On approach in poor weather conditions, the plane crashed into a mountain located 6 kms (3.75 miles) northwest of San Roque, south of Tanauan, Leyte, Philippine Islands. The entire crew and all the passengers (a number of them medical passengers) were killed. Source: Missing Air Crew Reports (MACR) # 15996.

He was first buried in 7740 USAF Cemetery, Leyte #1, Palo, Leyte, Philippines Islands – Grave 149 (D-D 6966). After the war (autumn of 1947) his remains (along with 8,568 other American soldiers) were disinterred and brought to the American Graves Registration Service Manila Mausoleum. From there, according to the wishes of his next of kin (mother, Mrs. Adelaide Morton), Flight Officer Joseph F. Sass was buried in his final resting place in the 7701 Ft. McKinley Cemetery (now known as the Manila American Cemetery) – Plot L, Row 6, Grave 18.

Awards: Air Medal.

Crew who perished on C-46D #44-77360:

Bruno, Samuel A ~ Sgt, Radio Operator, PA
Haslam, Wilson B ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, WA
Poillucci, Arthur T ~ S/Sgt, Engineer, NY
Reed, Myles V ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, NJ

Passengers who perished on C-46D #44-77360:

Adkins, Chester C ~ Pfc, IL
Baird, John H, Jr ~ 1st Lt, MO
Baker, Raymond E ~ T/4, WA
Bekenstein, Charles J ~ T/5, D.C.
Compton, Lewis G, Jr ~ Capt, TX
Davis, Guy J ~ Pfc, NC
Dougherty, Charles E ~ Capt, WA
Enochs, Charles S ~ Capt, CO
Fatula, Andrew ~ Sgt, PA
Frankforther, Lewis L ~ Pvt, OH
Gonzalez, Alejandro ~ S/Sgt, TX
Hageman, Jack F ~ Pfc, OH
Horning, Adam E ~ T/5, MI
Jacobs, James A ~ 2nd Lt, WV
Sass, Joseph F ~ FO, NJ
Sermersheim, Joseph J, Jr, Corp, KY
Turner, Charles H ~ Capt, AL
Walton, Robert M ~ Corp, PA
Weston, Bruce S ~ T/5, VA
Wigen, Ken J ~ Corp, WI
Willis, John R ~ 1st Lt, NY

(Crew list and links by: Russ Pickett )