2LT. Francis Wayne "Wayne" Sparks was a Pilot with the 309th Bombardment Group; 378th Bombardment Squadron, and was stationed at Columbia Army Airfield, South Carolina, in training and preparation for overseas combat duty in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations.

His Hometown was Waverly, Bremer County, Iowa.

2Lt. Francis "Wayne" Sparks and 6 other crew members were Killed during a training mission; when their Aircraft, B-25B; Serial #: 40-2239; stalled, went into a spin, and crashed, 2 Miles East of Columbia Army Airfield.

13 September 1942
B-25B; Serial #: 40-2239; 378BS; 309BG
Home Base: Columbia AAB, SC;
KSSPCR = KSSP Killed, Stall/SPin Crash
Pilot: Sparks, Francis W
Location of Crash: 2 mi E of Columbia AAB, SC

THE CREW:
Pilot: 2Lt. Francis W. Sparks; Columbia, SC
2Lt. Donald V. Urquhart, St. Louis, MO
2Lt. Martin O. Vangsness, Carpio, ND
2Lt. James Francis Attridge, Jr, Salem, MA
Sgt. Leon O. Gallie, Ingomar, PA
SSgt. Charles O. Frame, Richwood, WV
Pvt. Roland G. Braun, Beaver Dam, WI

Lt. Urquhart and Lt. Vangsness were aboard this B-25, for a training mission, but were assigned to the 321st Bomb Group; 447th Bomb Squadron; which was also based at the Columbia Army Air Field, SC
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447th Bombardment Squadron Special Account: August 28, 1942 (Actually occurred on 13 Sep 42, according to the Death Certificates): This date we had our first and only casualties of the training period. Going along as co-pilots with a 309th Bombardment Group plane and pilot, Lts. Urquhart and Vangsness were killed instantly when their plane crashed one quarter mile from the runway at 5:30 in the morning. Fog had a great deal to do with the accident.

309th BG A/C B-25B; Serial No. 40-2239
crashed 13 Sep 42 - entire crew killed.
P Attridge, James F., Jr., 1Lt, 309th BG; 378th BS
CP Urquhart, Donald V., 2Lt, 447th BS
CP Vangsness, Martin O., 2Lt, 447th BS
N Sparks, Francis W., 2Lt, 309th BG
E Braun, Roland G., Pvt, 309th BG
R Frame, Charles O., Sgt, 309th BG
G Gallie, Leon O., Pvt, 309th BG; 378th BS
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Francis W Sparks