Samuel Auslander served in the Air Corps as a Second Lieutenant and Co-Pilot of the B-24D, #42-40622 "Sweepy-Time Gal" during World War II. On April 18, 1944, two "Sniffers" took off from Kweilin on a sea sweep, flying parallel courses. Lt. Zerba, flying plane No. 614, completed his mission and landed back at Kweilin at 1652 hours, without sighting any targets or dropping any bombs. Lt. McConnell's plane, Sweepy Time Gal (42-40622) did not return. The plane was shot down near Hong Kong. Surviving Pilot and Asst. Radar Operator were taken POW, returned to the U.S., and stated two additional men survived the crash but were killed when the Japanese returned and strafed the water. It is believed that Auslander survived the ditch, but was killed while attempting to swim to shore.

Auslander is now buried in the Mount Judah Cemetery, Ridgewood, Queens County, New York, USA. He was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China but his job is inscribed as a Pilot.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com