John L. Sanders was born and raised in Abilene, Dickinson County, Kansas. His draft registration is dated February 16, 1942, in Klamath County, Oregon, at age 20. Cpl. Sanders completed Army Air Force training command aerial gunnery school at Harlingen Army Air Field in Texas, and joined a combat team at March Field, Calif. As gunner on a B-24 Liberator. Bomber, he was stationed in New Guinea and promoted to Sergeant while stationed in the Philippines. John is a brother to Ike's Soldiers veterans Marvin R. and Robert Dean Sanders.