Francis William Lefebvre was born on November 16, 1916, in Connecticut. He was the son of Francis Solime Lefebvre and Edna Blake Lefebvre. He was employed as a sales clerk before enlisting in the service on October 7, 1940. He served in the 3rd Pursuit Squadron, 24th Pursuit Group, as a Corporal during World War II.

After the fall of Bataan in the hands of the Japanese Army on April 9, 1942, Cpl Lefebvre was one of the 10,000 to 12,000 Americans who were forced to march over 60 miles under brutal conditions, resulting in 1,000 to 5,000 deaths due to starvation, dehydration, and abuse. Survivors were sent to Camp O'Donnell, where dire conditions, including overcrowding, malnutrition, and disease, caused an additional 1,500 to 2,300 American deaths within weeks. Those who survived faced ongoing hardships, including transfers to other camps and forced labor, where many continued to suffer or die.

Cpl Lefebvre was reported missing and officially declared dead on July 12, 1942. His name is memorialized in the Walls of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines.

Source of information: www.livescience.com