L. V. Teeter, pilot with the 23rd Fighter Group, MIA in China near Liuzhou city, Guangxi province.
Here is an initial file on the loss of L. V. Teeter, pilot with the 23rd Fighter Group, MIA in China near Liuzhou city, Guangxi province.
Planes: 14 P51\'s. 1 F6
Time Off: 1215
Purpose and Results: Mitchell escort and Napalm Liuchow, Recon. Luichow area.
The Mustangs of the 76th and 11 Mustangs of the 118th Tac. Recon. joined the group of 40 B-25\'s at Ishan and proceeded to Liuchow. Capt. Gilmore's flight went ahead and strafed A/A and MG positions. The bombers then went back and forth over the area dropping their bombs. The fighter leader finally got the signal from the bombers that they were through and the fighters went in to strafe and burn previously assigned targets. As soon as the 118th dropped their Napalm. Lt. Col. Teeter went in and proceeded to finish the job of strafing the gun positions. At this time more incendiaries began to fall among the flight. The flight turned out of the way of the bombs and went in for a second pass. Lt. Col. Teeter\'s plane was last seen as it entered the smoke. The second 76th flight also had to turn aside because of falling bombs but put their Napalm on the secondary target completely destroying it. One flight caught a six by six on the runway and destroyed it. Another flight caught a horse and blue uniformed rider and killed them. Three motor launches, estimated 40 feet in length were caught in the river just above Liuchow as they headed for shore. The boats were damaged and some of their crews killed. Twenty five handcars with supplies were strafed near Ishan. Lt. Dahlberg\'s plane was damaged slightly when land mines exploded under him. Lt. Leece received a piece of shrapnel in the cockpit which scratched his arm. A 20 MM shell in the tail which caused minor damage. The piece in the cockpit damaged the radio and set it afire. Lt. Leece released the canopy preparing to bail out and the fire was blown out. He brought the plane home and landed safely. One other plane received minor damage from ground fire. Lt. Col. Teeter did not return. Six MG\'s knocked out, 46 men killed, several 40 MM guns silenced, many warehouses and other buildings burned and three launches damaged, one horse killed. Pilots: Lt. Col. Teeter, Lts. Christansan, Beazley, Dahlberg, Major Whiddon, Lts. Brokow, Teague, Breingan, Capt. Lillie, Lts. Ellis, Lawman, Steinhardt; Capt. Gilmore (23rd GP) Lts. Tapp. and Leece.
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Please click here to see L. V. Teeter\'s IDPF
Information about L.V. Teeter provided by Dave Dwiggins
To see L.V. Teeter\'s name on the Tablets of the Missing please click here
CBI MIA Lt Col L. V. Teeter, commanding officer of the 76th Fighter Squadron, Dec 1944.
Newspaper excerpts:
Word has been received by Mrs. Cleo Teeter of Rensselaer, formerly of Fulton, that her
son, Lt. Col. L. V. Teeter has been wounded in action while serving with the 23rd Fighter Group
in China. He is recovering satisfactorily.
[The News-Sentinel, Saturday, May 12, 1945; from a compilation in FULTON COUNTY, INDIANA
HANDBOOK, section on Service Men, World War II 1945, by Wendell C. Tombaugh, John B. Tombaugh ]
LT. COL. L. V. TEETER IS MISSING IN CHINA
Mrs. Cleo Teeter, route 5, has been informed by the War department that her son, Lt. Col,
L. V. Teeter, with the 23rd fighter group in China, is missing in action.
Colonel Teeter was last seen on June 3, air force officials reveal. He has seen continous
action against the enemy in the China-Burma-India theater of operations. He was reared in this
county and is known to a host of friends. His wife and a small son are residents of Fort Valley,
Ga.
[The News-Sentinel, Thursday, June 21, 1945; from a compilation in FULTON COUNTY, INDIANA
HANDBOOK, section on Service Men, World War II 1945, by Wendell C. Tombaugh, John B. Tombaugh]
Obituary:
Saturday, December 8, 1945
LT. COL. L. V. TEETER SHOT DOWN OVER CHINA
Mrs. Cleo TEETER, route 5, has received confirmation by the War Department of the death over Luchow (Liuzhou), China last June 30, of her son, Lt. Col. L. V. TEETER, 26, who was shot down by Jap gunfire on a bombing mission over enemy territory. On June 2, 1945, Mrs. Teeter received word from her son that he had completed his 87th bombing mission on Jap held installations, and that on completion of his 100th mission he would doubtless be granted leave to return home for a brief vacation. On June 16, however, the War Department reported him missing in action. That was the last word received concerning him. Col. Teeter was reared at Fulton where his mother was a teacher in the schools. He was graduated from the high school at Fulton and was an engineering student at Purdue University for three years prior to his enlistment in the army air corps in 1939. Col. Teeter was a flying instructor at Cochran Field, Ga., for several years before he was sent to the China-India-Burma war theater in July 1944. Survivors are his wife, Mrs. Helen HARRIS TEETER and son Loren Vincent [TEETER], Ft. Valley, Ga., his mother who is teaching this winter in the schools at Mishawaka, a sister, Miss Helen TEETER, Indianapolis, maternal grandmother, Mrs. Loren W. HATFIELD and uncle Ralph HATFIELD of Talma.
(From FULTON COUNTY INDIANA OBITUARIES 1945, Jean C. and Wendell C. Tombaugh, 2000)
From National WWII Memorial:
ID: 0-406341
Entered the Service From: Indiana
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Service: U.S. Army Air Forces, 76th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Fighter Group
Died: Sunday, June 03, 1945
Memorialized at: Manila American Cemetery
Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Purple Heart
Comments
L V Teeter was the son of…
L V Teeter was the son of Cleo Teeter, a school teacher, of Fulton, Indiana. He graduated from the high school at Fulton and was an engineering student at Purdue University for three years prior to his enlistment in the army air corps on the 24th July 1940. After training as a fighter pilot he served as a flying instructor at Cochran Field, Georgia. It was here that he is believed to have met and married Helen Harris. In July 1944 he was posted to China to serve the 76th Fighter Group which was operating from Laohwangping Airfield, located approximately 1 mile west of Jiuzhou Zhen (Guizhou Province). In May 1945 his mother received notice that her son had been wounded in action while serving with the 23rd Fighter Group in China and that he was recovering satisfactorily. On the 3rd June 1945 he took from Laohwangping Airfield to undertake a bombing and strafing mission on enemy positions at Luchow. His aircraft, a P-51D Mustang (44-11313), was shot down by Japanese small arms fire. His aircraft was never found and his body never recovered. Lt.Col. Teeter’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery,Philippines. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal and Purple Heart. L.V. Teeter was survived by his wife, Helen Harris Teeter and his son Loren Vincent Teeter of Fort Valley, Georgia.
Photo shows Mustangs at Laohwangping Airfield.
https://scarletboy44.tumblr.com/page/34
+++Plus 2020 mailed photos and info.
L. V. TeeterLT. COL. L. V…
L. V. Teeter
LT. COL. L. V. TEETER SHOT DOWN OVER CHINA
Mrs. Cleo TEETER, route 5, has received confirmation by the War Department of the death over Luchow, China last June 30, of her son, Lt. Col. L. V. TEETER, 26, who was shot down by Jap gunfire on a bombing mission over enemy territory.
On June 2, 1945, Mrs. Teeter received word from her son that he had completed his 87th bombing mission on Jap held installations, and that on completion of his 100th mission he would doubtless be granted leave to return home for a brief vacation. On June 16, however, the War Department reported him missing in action. That was the last word received concerning him.
Col. Teeter was reared at Fulton where his mother was a teacher in the schools. He was graduated from the high school at Fulton and was an engineering student at Purdue University for three years prior to his enlistment in the army air corps in 1939.
Col. Teeter was a flying instructor at Cochran Field, Ga., for several years before he was sent to the China-India-Burma war theater in July 1944.
Survivors are his wife, Mrs. Helen HARRIS TEETER and son Loren Vincent [TEETER], Ft. Valley, Ga., his mother who is teaching this winter in the schools at Mishawaka, a sister, Miss Helen TEETER, Indianapolis, maternal grandmother, Mrs. Loren W. HATFIELD and uncle Ralph HATFIELD of Talma.
http://www.fulco.lib.in.us/genealogy-files/obituaries/obits_1945.htm