Hampton Wilburn Wade

Monuments

B-26 41-35021 'The Sheriff Rapides Parish Louisiana' Memorial

Name:

Wilburn Wade Hampton

Rank:

Staff Sergeant

Serial Number:

36048381

Unit:

451st Bomber Squadron, 322nd Bomber Group, Medium

Date of Death:

2003-02-03

State:

New York

Cemetery:

Oaklawn Cemetery, Cherokee Village, Sharp County, Arkansas

Plot:

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart

Comments:

Wilburn Wade Hampton was born on February 6, 1920. He was the son of Mildred L Hampton of Harvey, Illinois. He was married to Margaret A. Nuss Hampton.

Wilburn served in the 451st Bomber Squadron, 322nd Bomber Group, Medium, as a Staff Sergeant and Tail Gunner on the B-26 Marauder #41-35021 'The Sheriff Rapides Parish Louisiana' during World War II.

On July 19, 1944, two groups of aircraft, a total of 36 twin-engine American bombers of the 32nd Bomb Group, the 451st Bomber Squadron, took off from Station 485 in Andrew Field, England, for a bombing raid on Nantes. At 7:58 PM, 'The Sheriff Rapides Parish Louisiana' was shot down by flak, hitting the left engine and setting the bomb bay on fire. Two crew members were able to bail out, but those who didn't make it were killed in this incident. SSgt Hampton was one of the survivors.

SSgt Hampton died on February 2, 2003, at the age of 82. He is now buried in the Oaklawn Cemetery, Cherokee Village, Sharp County, Arkansas, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net