First Lieutenant Drexel D. Sparks was the co-pilot of B-17G Flying Fortress #44-8237,
nicknamed "Dallas Dollie." Lost in an accident in the North Sea off Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, England, during a nighttime training flight. With the 332nd Bomb Squadron, 94th Bomb Group.
Memorialized also at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial
The aircrew had taken off from USAAF Station 468 (later RAF Bury St. Edmunds) at 22:30 hours for a training flight that was to be on a course along the North Sea to Aberdeen, Scotland, and return. When the aircraft was not heard from after departure, two squadrons of aircraft were dispatched to search. Small amounts of debris was spotted floating near the vicinity of Flamborough Head, east of Leeds.
The other crew members:
1Lt Jack E McComb, O-781359, MO, Pilot
LT Thomas P Anderwald, O2073000, TX, Navigator
SSGT Richard K Breting, 35234604, OH, Radio Operator
SSGT William E Smith, 42033530, NY, Flight Engineer
~
Obituary:
The Telephone Register, McMinnville, Oregon, Thursday, Jan. 13, 1949
MEMORIAL SERVICES SCHEDULED FOR MCMINNVILLE MEN FRIDAY
Memorial services for two brothers, Alvis S. and Drexel Dean Sparks, McMinnville, who were killed in action overseas during the last war, will be held Friday, January 14 at the chapel of Macy and Son Funeral home. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial park.
Alvis Sparks, a native of Missouri, came to Oregon in 1938. He was married in September, 1944, to Shirley Miller, who survives.
He was killed in the crash of a B-29 on a return mission from Japan, March 8, 1945.
Drexel Sparks was born on a farm near Parnell, Missouri, and came to Oregon in 1941. He was married to Marilyn Sterns, who survives, at Alexandria, La., November 10, 1944.
On May 31, 1945, he was reported missing in action, and on November 10, final word was received that he had been killed while on a mission over the North Sea.
Other survivors include a son, David Dean, of Lincoln, Nebr.; his mother, Mrs. Fannie Sparks, McMinnville; two sisters, Mrs. Fay Howard, McMinnville, and Mrs. Roland Hantze, Amity; one brother, Wayne Sparks, of Sheridan, a niece and five nephews.
nicknamed "Dallas Dollie." Lost in an accident in the North Sea off Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, England, during a nighttime training flight. With the 332nd Bomb Squadron, 94th Bomb Group.
Memorialized also at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial
The aircrew had taken off from USAAF Station 468 (later RAF Bury St. Edmunds) at 22:30 hours for a training flight that was to be on a course along the North Sea to Aberdeen, Scotland, and return. When the aircraft was not heard from after departure, two squadrons of aircraft were dispatched to search. Small amounts of debris was spotted floating near the vicinity of Flamborough Head, east of Leeds.
The other crew members:
1Lt Jack E McComb, O-781359, MO, Pilot
LT Thomas P Anderwald, O2073000, TX, Navigator
SSGT Richard K Breting, 35234604, OH, Radio Operator
SSGT William E Smith, 42033530, NY, Flight Engineer
~
Obituary:
The Telephone Register, McMinnville, Oregon, Thursday, Jan. 13, 1949
MEMORIAL SERVICES SCHEDULED FOR MCMINNVILLE MEN FRIDAY
Memorial services for two brothers, Alvis S. and Drexel Dean Sparks, McMinnville, who were killed in action overseas during the last war, will be held Friday, January 14 at the chapel of Macy and Son Funeral home. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial park.
Alvis Sparks, a native of Missouri, came to Oregon in 1938. He was married in September, 1944, to Shirley Miller, who survives.
He was killed in the crash of a B-29 on a return mission from Japan, March 8, 1945.
Drexel Sparks was born on a farm near Parnell, Missouri, and came to Oregon in 1941. He was married to Marilyn Sterns, who survives, at Alexandria, La., November 10, 1944.
On May 31, 1945, he was reported missing in action, and on November 10, final word was received that he had been killed while on a mission over the North Sea.
Other survivors include a son, David Dean, of Lincoln, Nebr.; his mother, Mrs. Fannie Sparks, McMinnville; two sisters, Mrs. Fay Howard, McMinnville, and Mrs. Roland Hantze, Amity; one brother, Wayne Sparks, of Sheridan, a niece and five nephews.
First Lieutenant Drexel D. Sparks was the co-pilot of B-17G Flying Fortress #44-8237,
nicknamed "Dallas Dollie." Lost in an accident in the North Sea off Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, England, during a nighttime training flight. With the 332nd Bomb Squadron, 94th Bomb Group.
Memorialized also at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial
The aircrew had taken off from USAAF Station 468 (later RAF Bury St. Edmunds) at 22:30 hours for a training flight that was to be on a course along the North Sea to Aberdeen, Scotland, and return. When the aircraft was not heard from after departure, two squadrons of aircraft were dispatched to search. Small amounts of debris was spotted floating near the vicinity of Flamborough Head, east of Leeds.
The other crew members:
1Lt Jack E McComb, O-781359, MO, Pilot
LT Thomas P Anderwald, O2073000, TX, Navigator
SSGT Richard K Breting, 35234604, OH, Radio Operator
SSGT William E Smith, 42033530, NY, Flight Engineer
~
Obituary:
The Telephone Register, McMinnville, Oregon, Thursday, Jan. 13, 1949
MEMORIAL SERVICES SCHEDULED FOR MCMINNVILLE MEN FRIDAY
Memorial services for two brothers, Alvis S. and Drexel Dean Sparks, McMinnville, who were killed in action overseas during the last war, will be held Friday, January 14 at the chapel of Macy and Son Funeral home. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial park.
Alvis Sparks, a native of Missouri, came to Oregon in 1938. He was married in September, 1944, to Shirley Miller, who survives.
He was killed in the crash of a B-29 on a return mission from Japan, March 8, 1945.
Drexel Sparks was born on a farm near Parnell, Missouri, and came to Oregon in 1941. He was married to Marilyn Sterns, who survives, at Alexandria, La., November 10, 1944.
On May 31, 1945, he was reported missing in action, and on November 10, final word was received that he had been killed while on a mission over the North Sea.
Other survivors include a son, David Dean, of Lincoln, Nebr.; his mother, Mrs. Fannie Sparks, McMinnville; two sisters, Mrs. Fay Howard, McMinnville, and Mrs. Roland Hantze, Amity; one brother, Wayne Sparks, of Sheridan, a niece and five nephews.
nicknamed "Dallas Dollie." Lost in an accident in the North Sea off Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, England, during a nighttime training flight. With the 332nd Bomb Squadron, 94th Bomb Group.
Memorialized also at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial
The aircrew had taken off from USAAF Station 468 (later RAF Bury St. Edmunds) at 22:30 hours for a training flight that was to be on a course along the North Sea to Aberdeen, Scotland, and return. When the aircraft was not heard from after departure, two squadrons of aircraft were dispatched to search. Small amounts of debris was spotted floating near the vicinity of Flamborough Head, east of Leeds.
The other crew members:
1Lt Jack E McComb, O-781359, MO, Pilot
LT Thomas P Anderwald, O2073000, TX, Navigator
SSGT Richard K Breting, 35234604, OH, Radio Operator
SSGT William E Smith, 42033530, NY, Flight Engineer
~
Obituary:
The Telephone Register, McMinnville, Oregon, Thursday, Jan. 13, 1949
MEMORIAL SERVICES SCHEDULED FOR MCMINNVILLE MEN FRIDAY
Memorial services for two brothers, Alvis S. and Drexel Dean Sparks, McMinnville, who were killed in action overseas during the last war, will be held Friday, January 14 at the chapel of Macy and Son Funeral home. Burial will be in Evergreen Memorial park.
Alvis Sparks, a native of Missouri, came to Oregon in 1938. He was married in September, 1944, to Shirley Miller, who survives.
He was killed in the crash of a B-29 on a return mission from Japan, March 8, 1945.
Drexel Sparks was born on a farm near Parnell, Missouri, and came to Oregon in 1941. He was married to Marilyn Sterns, who survives, at Alexandria, La., November 10, 1944.
On May 31, 1945, he was reported missing in action, and on November 10, final word was received that he had been killed while on a mission over the North Sea.
Other survivors include a son, David Dean, of Lincoln, Nebr.; his mother, Mrs. Fannie Sparks, McMinnville; two sisters, Mrs. Fay Howard, McMinnville, and Mrs. Roland Hantze, Amity; one brother, Wayne Sparks, of Sheridan, a niece and five nephews.
Inscription
1LT, 332 AAF BOMB SQ, 94 BOMB GP WORLD WAR II
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