Lieutenant Dennis J. Lacey, age twenty-one, was killed in an air-plane crash on November 7, 1944, at Townesville, Queensland, Australia.

Dennis graduated from New Milford Junior High School and
Hackensack High School. He was a student at
Norwich University, Northfield, Vt., when he volunteered for service in the Army as an Air Cadet in March 1943. He received his training at
Atlantic City, N.J., Waterville, Me., Nashville, Tenn., Maxwell Field, Ala., Avon Park, Fla., Cochran Field, Macon, Ga., and Napier Field, Dothan Ala, where he was commissioned. After a brief furlough, he returned to Napier, went to Perry Army Air Base, Fla., then Dale Mabrey Field, Tallahassee, Fla., where he volunteered for service in the Pacific Area.

He was about to fly a plane from Australia to New Guinea when an accident between his plane and another occurred in the air, soon after the take-off.

Dennis is buried in the military cemetery at Townesville.

Dennis Lacey had a brother, James E. Lacey, who was serving in the European Theater, possibly at Bastogne at the time of Dennis's death on November 7, 1944.

Dennis J. Lacey was born August 24, 1924 in New York where his father was head of the 
Teamster Union in the 1950’s -60’s according to Sheldon Freschi. A 1940 census researched by George Toriello reveals the family was living on River Road in New Milford.  Dennis Lacey enlisted into the Army Air Force on October 1, 1942 and was Killed in Action on November 7, 1944. 

According to Teresa Martins information, Dennis is buried in the military cemetery at Townsville, Australia. George Toriello uncovered through his continued research that Dennis J. Lacey was repatriated and rests in George Washington Memorial Cemetery in Paramus.

Click here to view grave marker.

Written by:
Bob Meli
June 18, 2019