Duane S. Beadle, aged 22, was born on February 13, 1922. He was the son of Wilbur Beadle and Estella Katherine Johnson Beadle. He resided Berrien County, Michigan prior to the war. Duane served as a First Lieutenant and Pilot on B-24J #44-41451, 375th Bomber Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

B-24J #44-41451 took off, with a crew of 10 and 1 passenger, from Chengkung, China on a combat sweep over the south China sea. They were last contacted by radio at 0230 hours and reported they were flying near Mengtez, China, over friendly territory. It is unknown what happened to this B-24 however the entire crew was lost on this mission, it was November 16, 1944. Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until July 18, 1946. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines. He also has a cenotaph located in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Buchanan, Berrien County, Michigan, USA.

He was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China but death date is inscribed as 1944-01-31.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov