David Shelley Francis was born on April 5, 1923, in Howe, Texas. He was the son of Paul Jones Francis and Lois Margaret Baxter Francis. A graduate of Howe High School, Francis attended North Texas State College before enlisting in the Armed Forces. He went overseas in March 1944.
David was flying aboard a C-47 on March 4, 1945, when their aircraft crashed just after dusk in bad weather near Halton RAF station, Buckinghamshire, England, on a return flight from Brussels, Belgium. Also killed were: 2nd Lt. Charles V. Smith (Pilot); 2nd Lt. Robert W. Masling (Copilot); and TSergeant Winfield Scott (Flight Engineer).
SSgt Francis is now buried in the Holloway Cemetery, Luella, Grayson County, Texas, USA.
Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.americanairmuseum.com