Briefing Document: Foster Lawson Cash

Date: October 26, 2023

Subject: Life and Military Service of Foster Lawson Cash

Sources: Excerpts from "Pasted Text"

1. Introduction:

This document provides a summary of the life and military service of Foster Lawson Cash, based on the provided text. The primary focus is on his family background, his education, his enlistment in the US Army Air Corps, and his tragic death during World War II.

2. Early Life & Family:

Birth: Foster Lawson Cash was born on August 13, 1917, in Brownwood, Brown County, Texas.

Parents: His parents were Myrtle Lee Foster (born May 1898 in Texas, died 1989 in Houston, Texas) and Lawson Clay Cash (born 1896 in Brownwood, Texas, died 1985 in Abilene, Texas). At the time of Foster’s birth, his mother was 19 and his father was 20 years old.

Childhood:In 1930, at age 12, he was living with his parents, siblings, and an uncle in Justice Precinct 7 (JP7), Eastland County, Texas.

He was still living with his parents in the same location in 1935 at age 18 and in 1940 at age 22.

Education: He attended Howard Payne College, completing three years of college education.

3. Military Service:

Enlistment: Foster L. Cash enlisted in the US Army Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet from civilian life on November 23, 1940, at Fort Worth, Texas. His Army Serial Number was asn-18037989.

Draft Registration: He registered for the draft on October 16, 1940, residing in Pioneer, Eastland County, Texas, and listed his mother as his next of kin.

Rank: He achieved the rank of Captain, with service number O-421042.

Unit: Captain Cash served with the 772nd Bombardment Squadron of the 463rd Bombardment Group (Heavy), 15th Air Force.

Role: He was a co-pilot of a Boeing B-17G-30-BO Fortress (serial number 42-31823).

Marriage: He married Miss Kathryn Sperger at some point before the crash.

4. Death:

Date: March 19, 1944

Location: The crash occurred approximately 20 miles east-southeast of Amendola Air Field in Italy, over the Gulf of Manfredonia.

Circumstances: The B-17 he was co-piloting collided with another B-17 shortly after takeoff on a combat bombing mission.

Target: The intended target of the mission was Klagenfurt, Austria.

Casualties: All crewmen on both aircraft were killed, resulting in a “missing in action” status for Captain Cash.

Memorial: Captain Cash is remembered on the Tablets of the Missing at the Florence American Cemetery in Via Cassia, Italy.

5. Key Themes and Important Facts:

Family History: The text provides a clear timeline of his early life within his family, highlighting his parents and the location of their residence. This offers a glimpse into his roots in rural Texas.

Transition to Military Service: The narrative seamlessly transitions from his civilian life to his entry into the military, emphasizing the shift from a Texas teacher to an Army Air Corps pilot.

Tragic Loss in War: The account of his death is sudden and tragic, underscoring the immense risk and sacrifice made by young Americans in World War II.

Memorialization: The inclusion of his memorialization at the Florence American Cemetery shows that while he was lost in action, his service was not forgotten.

6. Conclusion:

Foster Lawson Cash lived a life marked by early familial bonds, higher education, and ultimately, by his service in World War II. His life was cut short by a tragic accident, and he serves as an example of the individual sacrifices made during that conflict. The details provided offer a good starting point to further learn about this individual.