David R. Ferguson was born on August 24, 1925. He resided in Hampden County, Massachusetts prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on November 10, 1943, in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in the fabrication of metal products and also as Single, without dependents. David served as a Sergeant and Gunner on B-24 "Poco Moco" #44-49451, 375th Bomber Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

B-24J #44-49451 took off, with a crew of 6, from Hsinching Airfield, Szechuan Province, China on a routine fuel haul mission to Rupsi, India. They were last contacted by radio reporting they were over Shingbwiyang, Burma. They never arrived in India, it was August 6, 1945. Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until August 7, 1946, 1 year and 1 day after he went missing as was the custom. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines. He also has a cenotaph located in Forestdale Cemetery, Holyoke, Hampden County, Massachusetts.

David 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 and ranked as a Corporal.

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