The family of 2nd Lieutenant David M. Lewis waited decades for their long-lost hero to make it home.
2nd Lieutenant Lewis, son of Ruby Mae Dennis and David Middleton Lewis, was born August 5, 1922. At just 19 years old, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps as a Private on January 8, 1942, and served with the 345th Bombardment Squadron - 98th Bombardment Group - 9th Air Force during World War II.
2nd Lieutenant Lewis was the co-pilot of one of the 51 B-24 Liberators. Of those, 29 crashed or were forced down away from target, while 22 fell in Ploiesti or the immediate vicinity. The War Department concluded that 225 airmen perished during Operation TIDAL WAVE. Following the operation, the Romanian government reported they had recovered and buried 216 Americans killed in the raid, 27 of whom were identified. The rest were buried by Romanian citizens as unknowns in a cemetery in Ploiesti.
In May 2022, approximately 80% of his remains were identified through extensive DNA testing performed at the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory. That’s when he was officially and finally accounted for. Dozens of motorcyclists with Patriot Guard Riders also showed their support for Lt. Lewis, escorting his remains on the long two-hour drive to his final resting place in Sulphur Springs. That’s where he will be laid to rest alongside his mother and many relatives.
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