Major Sanders was a crew member of a B-29A Superfortress Bomber with the 93rd Bomber Squadron, 19th Bomber Wing. On 12 September 1952, while on a combat mission, the aircraft's wings iced up and caused the aircraft to stall and crash 21 miles southwest of Kangnung, South Korea. His remains were recovered.

Sanders was awarded the Purple Heart, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.