Eldon Leroy Slanker was born on 26 January 1922 in Trotwood, Ohio. The only son of Leroy and Millie Slanker, Eldon had three sisters, Miriam, Hazel, and Gerry. He grew up on the family farm in Trotwood and attended Madison Township school. After graduating he attended Ohio State University in Columbus where he studied agriculture.

Eldon enlisted in the Army Air Corps on 23 November 1943 and underwent his Primary Pilot training as part of Class 44-E at Ocala, FL. He then undertook Basic Pilot training at Bainbridge, GA, and Maxwell and Gunter Fields, AL, before completing his Advanced Pilot training at Marianna, FL, where he graduated and was commissioned on 22 May 1944.

Eldon met Sara Elizabeth Adams or ‘Bebe’, in Montgomery, AL, during his training. They became very close and were married on 26 October 1944 at First Methodist Church, Vineland, NJ, at which time Eldon was based at nearby Millville airfield.

They lived on base for most of their short married life however found time to visit family and friends in Washington DC and back home in Ohio before Eldon received his posting overseas in late 1944. At the time of his posting, they had been married only two months.

2Lt Slanker was assigned to the 361st Fighter Squadron, 356th Fighter Group on 26 January 1945. After a period of orientation and familiarization with operational procedures, he flew his first mission on 19 February 1945, escorting the B-17s of the 351st and 457th Bomb Groups 1st Air Division to Gelsenkirchen, Germany. 1Lt Slanker continued to fly regular missions throughout the early months of 1945, primarily escorting the bombers to targets such as Berlin, Munster, and Hamburg. On 5th March he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and on 17 March flew as wingman to Major Donald Strait who was completing his final mission with the 356th.

During the mission of 7 April, 1Lt Slanker’s flight engaged an ME 262 jet but were only able to fire off a few shots before it outpaced them. Lt Slanker took off at around 10:09 on 11th April for a relatively routine mission to Krailburg, the 385th mission for the 356th Fighter Group. When he landed back at Martlesham at 15:45 he had completed his 31st and last combat mission and amassed 138.25 combat hours.

The official account of Eldon's death comes from the Official USAAF Accident Report filed on the 12th of April, 1945. Lt Edward B Lightfoot and Lt Franklin Rader of the 61st Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group based at Boxted in Essex were returning to their home base from a camera gunnery training flight flying their P-47M Thunderbolts in battle formation at 10000ft. At the same time, a P-51D Mustang of the 361st Fighter Squadron, 356th Fighter Group, was airborne from Martlesham Heath also on a camera gunnery training flight piloted by Lt Eldon L Slanker. Lt Slanker spotted the two Thunderbolts and made a simulated attack from 10 o’clock level. Lt Lightfoot saw the approaching Mustang and made a slight turn into Lt Slanker, and after they had passed both pilots executed fast right turns. Lt Slanker and Lt Lightfoot both pressed home their attacks from out of these right turns and collided head-on with a large explosion and falling debris. Lt Lightfoot and Lt Slanker were killed instantly, and their planes were destroyed. The subsequent investigation into the incident found that the underlying cause was both pilots showed poor judgment in pressing home a simulated head-on attack and responsibility was apportioned equally to both pilots.

1Lt Slanker is now buried in the Maple Hill Cemetery, Tipp City, Miami County, Ohio, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com