Between October 24, 1907 and Dec. 22, 1984
Colonel Lewis M. "Lew" Sanders died Dec. 22 in a Pensacola, Florida hospital. Col. Sanders was a former resident and businessman in Pensacola, but made his home in Lillian. He was a retired colonel of the U.S. Air Force. He was born in Indiana to the parents of Charles A. and Amanda R. "Grecian" Rufner Sanders.
During Pearl Harbor, the commander of the 46th Pursuit Squadron was First Lieutenant Lewis M. "Lew" Sanders. “Lew” commanded the 46th Pursuit Squadron unit from 1941 to 1942 stationed at Wheeler Field, Hawaii. Commander Sanders was commissioned in 1936 and prior to joining the service, Sanders was a barnstormer with a flying circus. On Dec. 6th, Sanders moved his planes to the eastern side of Wheeler Field. This action inadvertently saved most of the 46th Pursuit Squadron's P-36 aircraft from the attack by the Japanese on Wheeler Field on December 7th, 1941. Smoke from the burning planes, h...
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17 Dec 1941 – Hawaii
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17 Dec 1941 – Hawaii
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USAAF fighter pilots with at least one kill during Pearl Harbor attack posing before P-36 Hawk fighter: Lt Lewis Sanders, 2LT Phillip Rasmussen, 2LT Kenneth Taylor, 2LT George Welch, 2LT Harry Brown
17 Dec 1941 – Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii
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DESCRIPTION: Army air corps flyers who received DSC for shooting down 9 Japanese planes, L to R: 2nd Lt. Harry W. Brown, 2nd Lt. Philip M. Rasmussen, 2nd Lt. Kenneth M. Taylor, 2nd Lt. George S. Welch, 1st Lt. Lewis M. Sanders AIR HEROES: Nine Japanese planes were shot down by these five young air corps officers during the raids on Oahu a week ago Sunday. Left to right they are-2nd Lt. Harry W. Brown, who bagged one Japanese plane; 2nd Lt. Philip M. Rasmmussen, one plane; 2nd Lt. Kenneth M. Taylor, two planes; 2nd Lt. George S. Welch, four planes; 1st Lt. Lewis M. Sanders, one plane. Lts. Welsh and Taylor are to receive Distinguished Service Crosses.
Between 1941 and 1942 – Wheeler Field, Oahu, Hawaii
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Commander Lew Sanders of the 46th Pursuit defending during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Donald was at Wheeler Field that day as the airfield was being attacked.