LAPPING, BORIS Mar 24, 1945 age 20 KIA Italy

BORIS F. LAPPING  b. Nov 14, 1922 Detroit d. June 10, 1944

Killed in Action Italy

2 Lt Navigator O-707940 USAAFL 756^th BS 459^th BG (H)

Buried Nettuno Cemetery, Italy

Parents: Edward Carl 1899-1991 & Constance Helene (Cleary) 1895-1961

Siblings: Sherwood Foster, Geoffrey Alan


16720 Edinborough, Rosedale Park

Edward C. was born in Washington state 1899; his 1991 obituary covers an active, distinguished live who started as a reporter at age 13. He was an importing figure at 6’2” 195 lbs. Among his career highlights was working for Hearst and later Managing Editor of The Detroit Times. He married Constance Cleary of Windsor, Canada in 1921. Their 3 sons were born in Detroit. Raising their family they lived in Detroit’s nicest areas – Rosedale and Palmer Park neighborhoods.

Latin Club 194

Boris was very active at Redford, including ROTC, and played the principal part in the 1940 senior play “Young April”.  He did his draft registration 29 June 1942 in Detroit. Judging from his yearbook photos he stood as tall as his father.

Father Edward also had to register for the draft in 1942, as did so many of the fathers of the students. He had served in WWI and again interrupted his newspaper duties to become a Lt. Col. in Washington where he lived at the Wardman Hotel. He headed up a special branch G-2 of army intelligence; they compiled files on foreign individuals.

Boris joined the 756^th Bomb Squad, 459^th Bomb Group flying B-24 Liberators. He was stationed at Giulia air base, Italy, formerly a rough German airfield. The airfield was on the Pavoncelli Estate with its olive groves and vineyards and still exists. The ancient winery became group headquarters. It opened January 1944, becoming home to the 459^th.  They  engaged in very long range strategic bombing missions.

A navigator, Boris sat in the nose and could also double as a nose or wiggly ear gunner (guns mounted in the sides of the aircraft nose). The B-24J was essentially the same as a previous model except for an improved auto pilot, a new bomb sight and a better fuel transfer system. Excessive weight was a real drawback for the B-24J.

Excessive weight may have played a role in the crash of S/N 42-64340. It happened after takeoff for the Ferrara mission. All on board were killed. Lt. George Daron was the pilot. Missing Air Crew Report MACR 15159



Edward and Sherwood Lapping - Italy 1974

Purple Heart, and Air Medal awarded posthumously 12 Mar 1945.