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NAME William Earle Sage |
NICKNAME — |
SERVICE NUMBER O-14639 |
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| UNIT VMF-221 Pilot |
HOME OF RECORD 4414 McClintock San Diego, CA |
NEXT OF KIN Father, Mr. Warren E. Sage |
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| DATE OF BIRTH April 29, 1921 at Minneapolis, MN |
ENTERED SERVICE October 29, 1941 (US Navy) October 30, 1942 (commissioned) |
DATE OF LOSS July 11, 1943 |
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| REGION Solomon Islands |
CAMPAIGN / AREA Kula Gulf |
CASUALTY TYPE Missing In Action Declared Dead July 12, 1944 |
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| CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS First Lieutenant William E. Sage., was a pilot assigned to VMF-221, a Marine fighter squadron flying in support of the campaign for the northern Solomon Islands in the summer of 1943.Sage took part in a two-division combat patrol over Rendova on 11 July 1943. Mechanical problems plagued the Corsairs, and only three of the eight fighters reached their station. Nevertheless, when a flight of thirty Japanese bombers appeared, the Marines attacked anyway. Lieutenant Sage went in alone – his wingman was one of those forced to turn back – and after making a run on the enemy formation, disappeared from view. Neither Sage nor his aircraft (F4U-1 #02510) were seen again; it was assumed he fell victim to the bombers’ gunners. He was officially declared dead on 12 July 1944. |
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| INDIVIDUAL DECORATIONS Air Medal, Purple Heart |
LAST KNOWN RANK First Lieutenant posthumous Captain |
STATUS OF REMAINS Missing In Action |
MEMORIALS Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery Manila American Cemetery |
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Biography:
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