Vernon Ira Bender was the Son of Jacob "Jake" Bender and Laura
Ladasky Celestine Howell Bender. His Mother died in 1922 and his
Father died in 1936. Vernon was the youngest of 6 children. He
had 2 brothers, Victor; and George;
and three sisters, Marie; Laura; and Ellen.

Vernon lived with his brother, Victor and his family until he was
married to Miss Elizabeth Wilson, sometime before 1940. Vernon and
Elizabeth made their home in Indianapolis, Indiana.

On 03 April 1943, Vernon entered
Military service at Fort Benjamin
Harrison; Indiana. He was sent
for training as an aerial engineer.
He was assigned to the 12th Air
Force; 57th Bombardment Wing;
321st Bombardment Group; 446th
Bombardment Squadron; and was
stationed in the Mediterranean
Theater of Operations, (MTO).

On 10 November 1944; during a bombing
mission over Ostiglia, Italy, SSgt.
Vernon I. Bender's plane was hit by
enemy anti-aircraft fire (FLAK);
which knocked out the controls;
and severely injured the Pilot.
The Co-Pilot took over the damaged
controls and ordered the crew to
bail out. 6 men bailed out, but
the Co-Pilot went down with the
ship.

SSgt. Vernon I. Bender parachuted
safely to the ground but was almost
immediately surrounded by the Germans.
He made a daring attempt to evade
capture and was shot. Severely
wounded from the gunshots, the
Germans took him to a local
hospital, where died that day,
10 November 1944.
++++++
A/C: B-25J; Serial No. 43-27732
Nicknamed: “LEYDALE”
Missing Air Crew Report #: 9962

The CREW:

Pilot: 1Lt. Walton M. Ligon;
O-755974; KIA;

Co-Pilot: Capt. Gale M Dickson;
O-803167; KIA

Navigator: 1Lt. John E. Chapman;
O-699134; POW; RTD

Bombardier: 1Lt. Lawrence A. Clausen;
O-765468; Evaded Capture; RTD

Radio-Gunner: TSgt. Julius L. Nagy;
6907764; Injured; Evaded Capture; RTD

Engineer-Gunner: SSgt. Vernon I. Bender; 35139074; KIA

Gunner: SSgt. George F. Glendenning, Jr.;
17166560; POW; RTD
++++++
10 NOVEMBER 1944

HQ 321st BG War Diary: 44 aircraft were sent to the Ostiglia area to destroy the temporary rail bridge and a ferry terminal there. Much credit is reflected on the combat crews who participated in that raid for in spite of the intense anti-aircraft which shot down two leaders’ planes plus two other aircraft and holed a total of 30 planes, the targets were well hit with over 90 percent totals on both the bridge and terminal. At least 10 spans were already out of the bridge before our planes got there and we knocked out
seven more. A total of 32 casualties were sustained one of Group’s largest tolls on any one mission.

446th BS War Diary: The squadron loses a ship over Ostiglia. Captain Dickson was the pilot with other crewmen being Lts Chapman, Clausen and Ligon and Ems Nagy, V. Bender, Glendening. Captain Smedley assumes command of the squadron.

446th BS Mission Summary (Ops Order 607/mission 607) Group Mission # 607:
Squadron Mission 424
TARGET: Ostiglia Ferry Terminal, Italy DATE: 10 Nov.1944
Type of Bombs: 500 lb. 446th Planes: 12
Captain Jeffery led the formation. Report good concentration in target area but accurate pin-pointing impossible because of smoke of first mission’s bombing. Flak was heavy, moderate and accurate, becoming intense at bomb release point. Eleven planes holed, one lost.

++++++++++

https://old.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=176345126

Vernon Bender, I