2nd Lt. Anthony Diederich, Jr.—Lost 15 July 1944 near Yap
13th Air Force, 372nd Bombardment Squadron, 307th Bombardment Group

2nd Lt. Anthony Diederich, Jr.

Anthony Francis Diederich was the first born son of Sophia Rose Greisen and Anthony Joseph Diederich. Known to the family as "Junior", he was born April 14, 1921, on a farm near Lindsay, Nebraska. His grandfather Mathais had immigrated from Germany in 1877 and homesteaded land in nearby Saint Bernard, Nebraska. Junior experienced the rigors of farm life doing yard chores and working in the fields. He attended a one-room country school with one teacher for eight grades. Junior's Mother, a strong advocate for education, ensured that he attended high school in a nearby town and then on to business college. After two years, he moved to Waterloo, Iowa seeking employment. When foreign conflict piqued his interest, he joined the Army Air Corps and became a pilot of the B24 Liberator aircraft. 2nd Lt. Diederich was based in the Admiralty Islands in the South Pacific at the time of presumed death as a result of a midair collision near Yap Island on July 15, 1944. He was 23 years old.

The surviving nine children heard about their sibling, 2nd Lt. Diederich, all their lives. The inscription on a marker between his parents' graves in Saint Bonaventure Cemetery in Columbus, Nebraska, begins with the words: "IN MEMORY OF OUR SON...". On the reverse of the marker are the names of all 14 children of this farm family".

2nd Lt. Diederich Pictures:

Click on a thumbnail image below to view the full sized image. FamPix-1944 TonyJr_at_left-age_3-1924 TonyJr-1944 TonyJrAAF-FltTng-1943 TonyJr-Age_6-1927 TonyJr-HSGrad-1938 TonyJr-Sister Tony-Sally-1944_girl_friend     The inscription on a marker between his parents' graves in Saint Bonaventure Cemetery in Columbus, Nebraska, begins with the words: "IN MEMORY OF OUR SON...". On the reverse of the marker are the names of all 14 children of this farm family". Parents Grave Marker--Other Side Please submit additional information.

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2nd Lt. Diederich Documents:

13thAF43to45pg1.pdf 13thAF43to45pg2.pdf 13thAF43to45pg3.pdf 13thAF43to45pg4.pdf AAF.flt.tng.pdf certificate_of_baptism.pdf tonyd/HSgrad1938.pdf ltr02.15.45pg1.pdf ltr02.15.45pg2.pdf ltr02.15.45pg3.pdf ltr3.02.45.pdf ltr3.05.45.pdf ltr3.30.46.pdf ltr04.03.45.pdf ltr5.13.43pg1.pdf ltr5.13.43pg2.pdf ltr7.13.44pg1.pdf ltr7.13.44pg2.pdf ltr7.16.450001.pdf ltr7.31.450001.pdf ltr9.11.44.pdf ltr11.06.44.pdf ltr11.17.44pg1.pdf ltr11.17.44pg2.pdf ltr12.01.44pg1.pdf ltr12.01.44pg2.pdf ltr12.04.44.pdf Newsclip1944.pdf Req.Pers.Efxpg1.pdf Req.Pers.Efxpg2.pdf Please submit additional information.

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