Paul W. Lucas was born Jan. 27, 1919 to Albert W. and Katie Pendarvis Lucas. He died Jan. 15, 1945 and was buried in Ft. Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, MN in 1948. He was returned from the USAF Cemetery, Leyte Number 1, Philippine Islands.
Capt. Lucas served in World War II with the U.S. Army Air Corps 432nd Fighter Squadron and was MIA/KIA in Negros Island, Philippine Islands. He led a flight of P-38’s (Lightning) fighter planes from Leyte Island on a mission to Silay air strip, northwestern Negros Island, Philippine Islands. As he completed his strafing pass on the enemy planes, it was observed that one of the engines was on fire and the other was trailing smoke; apparently both had been damaged by antiaircraft hits. He kept his plane under control and crash landed. He was observed to have remained in the cockpit; that his engines were on fire, and that the tail assembly had come off. About four hours later, four P-38’s searched the area but could find no trace of Capt. Lucas or his plane.
Source: ancestry.com
