1st Lt. Edward F. Leidenberg
U.S. Army Air Force, 5th Air Force, 475th Fighter Group, 431st Fighter Squadron

Background
Edward F. Leidenberg was born April 14, 1920 to parents William J. Leidenberg and Margaret A. (née O'Keefe) Lidenberg as the youngest of five children in Queens, New York. He had four siblings: Agnes Leidenberg born 1910, Margaret Leidenberg born 1912, William J. Leidenberg, Jr. born 1915 and Mildred T. Leidenberg born 1918. He graduated high school and was employed as an automobile semiskilled mechanics and repairmen. He resided at 198-13 122nd Avenue, St. Albans, Queens, NY.

Wartime History
On March 5, 1941 enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) as a private with serial number 12026590 in the Hawaii Department. On June 20, 1941 became part of the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF). He was selected as an aviation cadet and underwent basic flight training at Gardner Field in California. Next, he completed advanced flying school at Class 42-L at Williams Field in Arizona. At the graduation ceremony, he was presented a special trophy for superiority in gunnery. He earned his wings and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with serial number O-760470.

Later, sent overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 475th Fighter Group (475th FG) "Satan's Angels", 431st Fighter Squadron (431st FS) "Hades" as a P-38 Lightning as a replacement pilot. Later, promoted to the rank of 1st Lieutenant. Leidenberg had no aerial victory credits.

In early July 1944, Leidenberg was granted a 7 day and flew to Australia. On July 6, 1944 he arrived in Sydney and left July 17, 1944 as a passenger aboard C-47 Skytrain #441 that landed at Amberley Field near Brisbane and remained for three days due to engine trouble. On July 21, 1944 departs Amberley Field as a passenger aboard a transport plane flying via Garbutt Field at Townsville enroute to Nadzab Airfield but Leidenberg's name was not listed on the manifest. Likely, Leidenberg was aboard this transport or another plane and reached Nadzab Airfield where he was attempting to utilize any plane to get back to his squadron. Meanwhile, by the middle of the month, the 431st Fighter Squadron (431st FS) "Hades" moved from Hollandia to Mokmer Drome on Biak Island.

Mission History
On July 28, 1944 Leidenberg was a passenger on a transport plane and went Missing In Action (MIA).

At the time, he was believed to be an unmanifested passenger aboard B-25D Mitchell 42-87287 piloted by 1st Lt. Earl D. Spriggs, Jr., on a courier flight from Nadzab Airfield No. 3 bound for Mokmer Drome on Biak Island.

Recovery of Remains
On February 21, 1948 American Graves Registration Service (AGRS), 5A Detachment based at Hollandia recovered remains with the help of locals between the villages of Manboesang and Genjiem-Besar in Dutch New Guinea (western half of New Guinea). The remains were received from the head man (chief of the village) at Genjiem-Besar and Mamboesang who recovered them near the wreckage of a plane the crashed sometime in 1944.

The recovered remains were designated as unknown (X File) X-4212-A also listed as A-004212. The remains placed at the AGRS Mausoleum (Manila Mausoleum No, 1) at Fort William McKinley (Manila American Cemetery) in hanger 810, bay W, crypt 7701.

In May 1950, processed by an anthropologist from the Central Identification Point (CIP) at Nichols Field near Manila who determined they were Leidenberg based on his height and a perfect pattern of extractions of teeth in the mandible that matched his dental record.

Memorials
Leidenberg was officially declared dead July 28, 1944. On April 20, 1951 buried at Long Island National Cemetery in section C site 495A.

Relatives
William J. Leidenberg (father died 1958)
Margaret A. (née O'Keefe) Lidenberg (mother died 1968)
Agnes Leidenberg (sister born 1910 died 1916)
Margaret Leidenberg (sister born 1912 died 1964)
William J. Leidenberg, Jr. (brother born 1915 died 1998)
Mildred T. Leidenberg (born 1918 died 2004)

References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Edward F. Leidenberg
NARA - US, Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945 page 8445, Edward F. Leidenberg
The Arizona Republic "Fliers Are Graduated By Arizona Fields" December 6, 1943 page 6
"At Williams Field... Special trophies were presented by Maj. Earl W. Worley, director of training to... Lt. Edward F. Leidenberg, New York City, for superiority in gunnery."
USAF Historical Study No. 85 USAF Credits For The Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II does not list any aerial victory credits awarded to Edward J. Leidenbert.
Air Force Award Cards [Air Medal]: Lee, Walter - Lenander, Albin (Frame 643: Leidenberg, Edward F.)
Morning Reports for July 1944: Roll 462 (4 of 4) (Frame 20: 431st FS, 475th FG: 3 July 1944)
"0760470 / Leidenberg / 2nd Lt. / Fr dy [duty] to 7 da [day] lv [leave] APO 927 [Sydney]."
Missing Air Crew Report 7012 (MACR 7012) created August 2, 1944
(Page 7) incorrectly states unmanifested passenger was 1st Lt. Edward F. Leidenberg, O-760470
RAAF Casualty Card - Mitchell B-25D 42-87287
"The remains of Edward Leidenberg were recovered by 5A Det. AGRS."
Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) Edward F. Leidenberg
(PDF page 84) "Headquarters Far East Air Force APO 925 Check Sheet To: Capt Stevenson Date: 13 Feb 45.
1. Attached herewith are copies of investigation conducted for.. 2d Lt Edward A. Leidenberg, 0760470.
3. Leidenberg was granted a 7 day leave effective on or about 2 July 44. He arrived at Sydney on 6 July and departed 17 July on Troop Carrier plane #441. It arrived at Amberly Field [sic Amberley Field] on 17 July and was detained for 3 days due to engine trouble. On 21 July it cleared Brisbane enroute to Townsville. I cleared Towns- ville enroute to Nadzab, but Lt Leidenberg's name was not on the clearance there nor on the manifest or clearance at Nadzab. The pilot of 447 has verified that the manifest was checked prior to take off at both Brisbane and Townsville, and all personnel were aboard.
Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) Edward F. Bradley PDF pages 45, 74, 76
(Page 45) "3. ...the remains [later identified as Leidenberg] were recovered on or about 21 February 1948 and that they were found between the villages of Manboesang and Genjiem-Besar, Dutch New Guinea. I further informed her that the remains were recovered through the help of natives and that immediate identification could not be established at the time of recovery. She was also informed that the remains were removed to the Central Identification Laboratory and processed by an anthropologist who established the individual identification of Leidenberg…"
Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) Claude M. Loe, Jr. PDF pages 58
(PDF page 58) "Subject: Review of Circumstances Surrounding the Disappearance of Personnel Presumed Dead" 16 Decemer 1947
"2. Missing Air Crew Report 7012, dated 2 August 1944... A message later received from Brisbane (Casualty Branch No. 060023) reported that Lieutenants Leidenberg and Loe were also passengers aboard the aircraft piloted by Lieutenant Springs."
Fold3 - Edward F Leidenberg
FindAGrave - Edward Francis Leidenberg (photos, grave photos)
475th Fighter Group Historical Foundation - 431st Hades Fighter Squadron Second Lieutenant Edward J. Leidenbert [sic F. Leidenberg]
Possum, Clover & Hades 475th Fighter Group in World War II (2004) does not mention Leidenbert in the narrative or Appendix B 475th Fighter Group Losses
Lightning Strikes (1988) does not mention Leidenbert's loss in the narrative, page 151 (475th FG, 431st FS roster, 2nd Lt Leidenbert)

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