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Submitted: 7/15/21 • Approved: 7/15/21 • Last Updated: 7/18/21 • R437158-G0-S3
Please see individual military marker
AFTER 60 YEARS BORGER MAN MEMORALIZED IN HOLLAND
By Cleo McGraw Morrison
World War II sent many Borger High School Students away to a war fought many miles away from their hometown. One of these boys was Edward Leslie Lantron, Jr who was called "Junior" by some of his classmates. Edward attended Borger Public Schools 1936 through 1940. His father owned the Mid-Continent Ice and Cold Storage business on South Main in Borger.
Lantron went into the Army Air Force and was stationed Snetterton Heath Airfield in England. He became a Turrent gunner on a B-17 making bomb flights over Germany.
On the 20 October 1943 when returning from a bomb raid on Duren, Germany his plane already crippled by the loss of one engine and non-closing bomb doors dropped out of formation and was attacked and pursued by a German fighter at 20,000 feet. After being heavily hit five of the crewmembers could bail out over Brabant in the south of Holland. The flight of the ship, on automatic and with five crew members dead or wounded still aboard, ended in the middle of Holland. This is all that was known about the crash and the loss of Lantron's life for sixty years.
When the B-17 crashed into two homes in the little village of de Bilt, Holland killing three civilians and five American Airmen it was witnessed by a little seven year old boy J. "Co" de Swart. For many years he had heard rumors about the German fighter pilot returning to the scene of the crash of the American B-17. These rumors lay dormant for many years until de Swart having reached retirement age decided to put the rumors to rest. He then began researching the crewmembers of the ill-fated B-17, Five had bailed out and had become prisoners of war one of those escaped and was able to get back to England with help of the underground.
For four years "Co" de Swart's has searched the records in four countries; Holland, Germany, England and the United States for the records of this B-17 Bomber Crew using the rumor of the German pilot as a starting place. He has traced some of them in the United States contacting and visiting with them. He found the co-pilot 2nd Lt. Robert Paul Surdez of Castro Valley, California and was able to visit with him twice before his recent death (7 August 2004). Not only did he track the American Airmen he also traced the fighter pilot who shot down the B-17 Bomber, Luftwaffe pilot Erich M. Burkert. The German pilot being shot down and killed himself only 93 days later by an American P-47 piloted by Walter C. Beckham of Florida.
After 60 years Mr. De Swart's said that it was time to remember those who have fallen and honor them with a memorial. Mr. de Swart initiated a Memorial Day at the former crash site in the little village of de Bilt, Holland. A simple but very unique memorial plaque was erected with the names of the five American Airmen on it; Staff Sgt. Edward Leslie Lantron, Jr. of Borger and the four others: T/Sgt. Aaron Murry Becker, Sgt. Charles Robert Randal, S/Sgt. Alexander Joseph Guilianelli, and S/Sgt. James Arthur Parker. As of this date (November 2004) the family of S/Sgt James Arthur Parker Newark, New Jersey is the only member of the crew that has not been located.
See link: Research of Accident
Attending the ceremony was the U. S. Ambassador to the Netherlands, Mr. Clifford Sobel, his Attache Col.D.McDaniel but also the German Defense Attaché, regional and local officials. Represented too was the Int. Fighter Association by a German Delegation.
The Dutch Government was represented by the Royal Dutch Air force, not only on the ground but also in the air. Two "war birds" in several low fly-passes brought a salute over the monument now unveiled at the 14.45 hour sharp, exactly sixty years after the B-17 went down. The hundreds present were stunned and thrilled.
To quote Mr. de Swart " it was even a more thrilling moment to see the children of the German Luftwaffe pilot shake hands with Steve the son of the co-pilot Robert Paul Surdez". Why was this day special? For the first time since WW II, Germans were invited and present at a Dutch/American Memorial Day in Holland.
Now in 2004 the search for the relatives of the crew members who died in the crash more that sixty years ago continues. Mr. de Swart "hopes that in finding the families that helped liberate his native land and letting them know how much the Americans are appreciated in Holland will give meaning and offer closure for them in the loss of their
loved ones".
By doing some research locally the widow and son of Staff Sgt. Lantron was located, she living in Brewster, Kansas and the son Curtis in Littleton, Colorado. Wilma Lantron remarried after husband's death Mr. Don Horney and they have two more sons.
The Veteran's Association in Hutchinson County are in the process of erecting a Memorial for the Veterans of all Wars. Edward Leslie Lantron‘s name will be one of the 96 WW II KIA'S to be honored.
Contributed on 7/15/21
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Record #: 437158