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Subject: 493rd Bomg Grp / 861 Sqnd

I would like to provide you and your WEB site some information about my Uncle who flew with the 493rd.

My Uncle's name was Archie Strugell and he flew with the following men. This list of men was kindly provide to me by Mr. William Rawson who also flew with the 493rd.

Aircraft Name - "Cabin in the Sky" (I do not have the tail number)

I also also attached a picture of the crew beside their B-17.

Thank-you for making such a great site and hopefully I'll be able to stop by one of these days.

Best regards,

Steve Emerson
Seattle, Washington

I am looking for information on my father's service as a B17 pilot with the 860th Bomb Squadron, 493rd Bomb Group ("Helton's Hellcats") stationed at Debach (Station #152), Suffolk from 16 December 1944 to 21 June 1945.

Dad attended Preflight Pilot School at Maxwell Field, Montgomery, AL from 4 July 1943 to 31 August 1943; the 62nd AAF Flight Training Detachment at the MS Institute of Aeronautics at Augustine Field, Jackson, MS 1 Septtember1944 to November 1943; basic training at Greenville AAF Base, Greenville, MS November 1943 to February 1944; and got his wings 15 April 1944 with Class 44D of the AAF Pilot School (Advanced 2 Engine) at George Field, IL. From there, he got further training at Pueblo, CO and Chanute Field, Rantoul, IL. His first mission from Debach was to Berlin on 3 February 1945.

We have a picture of Dad with one of his crews that lists the following names:

Tech Sgt Eastland – Engineer
Tech Sgt Derdula – Radio Operator
Staff Sgt Kostick – Ball Turret Gunner
Staff Sgt Hayes – Tail Gunner
Staff Sgt Armstrong – Waist Gunner
2nd Lt Peterson – Copilot
1st Officer DiMassimo – Bombadier

My uncle recalls that my Dad flew B24's on several missions targeting the Ploesti, Romania oil fields from Italy prior to being transferred to the 493rd in the UK. Unfortunately, that is not documented in Dad's discharge papers, which show 22 missions completed from Debach. However, my uncle is certain that Dad flew 27 missions, not 22; also, there is a 10 month gap between the time Dad got his wings 15 April 1944 and his first mission 3 February 1945 which I don't think crew training would have accounted for. I have no documentation of anything other than Dad's service in the UK, but my uncle has very strong memories of it – I would very much like to see if there is any way to see if we can document it.

Like many WW2 veterans, Dad did not tell his family much about his experiences – he did his job there, came home, and got on with his life. Sadly, he died last November after a long battle with illness. We are all very proud of him and the sacrifices that he and so many others made for us and our country, but we know next to nothing about his experiences as a pilot. It would be wonderful to correspond with other AAF veterans who served with the 493rd, and better still with any of his crewmates or others who knew him. We would appreciate any information you can share with us.

Monika's father, Günter Röseke was a POW in Debach from Nov 1945 to Feb 1947. He was 17 when captured after three weeks in the army. He was probably wounded as he went to a hospital in Peterborough. He went to Military POW Hospital, Redgrave Park, Diss, Norfolk, 17 Feb 1947, before repatriation.

Monika has a document with “B43428 6PWW Camp 272” on it.

She would like to know if anyone remembers her father.

I am trying to find out the exact missions my father flew in before being shot down. The records were destroyed, in a fire, where they were stored in St. Louis.

He was tail gunner on the American Lady (Aircraft # 43-38311)
I found the list of missions for the B17s, but I don't know how to find just the ones he flew. He completed 26 missions, before being shot down on March 30, 1945. The pilot was Lewis Hoagland.

Any help you can give me would be appreciated

Nancy

Hello

I hope you can help I am trying to find out if a Frank Mcaine was stationed at Debach during the war. Have not had much luck so far. Any information would be helpful

Thanks for your time.

Dave