480th Sub-Depot
Group
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Military site : airfield
Debach was one of the last Eighth Air Force heavy bomber bases to be completed. It was built by the 820th Engineer Battalion (Aviation) between late '43 and early '44. Pronounced locally as 'Deb-idge', the base was built to a class A standard with accommodation for nearly 3,000 men, the majority in newly-built Nissen huts to the south-west of the main field and a smaller number at nearby Thistledon Hall. The damage to the Hall by this occupation was so great that the decision was taken to demolish it after the war, leaving only the foundations of the building behind. The 493rd Bomb Group flew their first mission from here on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Problems with breaking-up runways dogged the Group's flights and repairs had to be made in the early part of 1945. After U.S. forces left the air field was used as a camp for German PoWs.
Correction to the Station Summary
Thistleton Hall was only used for temporary accommodation in the early days of occupation by the men of 493rd BG whilst the Nissen huts were being completed. Once they were finished the Hall was vacated. It was then used as the NCO's club until another new building was built for that use.
The Hall survived intact, and undamaged until after the departure of the 493rd BG.
It is believed that the interior woodwork was removed whilst the camp was being used for EVW's in the late 40's/early 50's
Not yet known
Group
Group
The 493rd Bomb Group was the last Eighth Air Force Group to become operational, flying their first combat mission from Debach, Suffolk, on D-Day, 6 June 1944. The Group was known as "the Fighting 493rd", named by their Commanding Officer Colonel Elbert...
Squadron
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Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
Squadron
Headquarters
Company
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 493rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 862BS, 493BG, 8AF USAAF.
Awards: DFC, WWII Victory, EAME.
Military | Private First Class | Basic Soldier, Duty Soldier III | 490th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 493rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 862BS, 493BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) in B-24 42-94812 'Little Warrior' 29-Jun-44; flak hit caused conflagration, flames from cockpit to rear of bomb bay. Killed in Action (KIA) MACR 6721
Awards: PH.
Military | Captain | Pilot | 493rd Bomb Group
Gayle flew with the 493rd Bomb Group, based at Debach in Suffolk. A native of Kentucky, he flew both B-24 and B-17 bombers in combat. He and his crew named their B-24 ‘Kentucky Kloudhopper’. On his 19th mission, a raid against Merseberg, his B-17 was...
Military | Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 493rd Bomb Group
Shot down 12 September 1944 in AC #43-38098. Killed in Action (KIA).
Military | Staff Sergeant | construction Engineer, Clerk
Member of the 820th EAB. Involved in the first phase of construction of Debach Airfield.
Military | Staff Sergeant | Chief Photographer | 493rd Bomb Group
Headed the photographic laboratory of the 'Flying Fortress Division Hqs of 8th Bomber Command. Previously served as Photographic Laboratory Technician with the 860th Bomb Squadron of the 493rd Bomb Group.
Military | Sergeant | Weather Observer | 385th Bomb Group
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 493rd Bomb Group
Shot down 5 November 1944 in B-17 #4338359. Prisoner of War (POW)
POW
Military | Major | Squadron Operations Officer; Command Pilot | 493rd Bomb Group
He left May 6 1944 from McCook, Nebraska in his new B-24 "The Old Sack" on his way to Debach with his crew.
B-24 Liberator
Originally assigned to 34th Bomb Group, 18th Bomb Sqdn, damaged on landing Debach, England 31 May 1944; lost 26 Nov 1944, over Germany with 491st BG; MACR 10763
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 23/8/43; Scott 25/9/43; Assigned 369BS/306BG [WW-A] Thurleigh 21/10/43; transferred 863BS/493BG [G6- ] Debach 8/44; on local flight 17/8/44 with Jim Linden, Co-pilot: Ed Kaputa, Navigator: Ken Noel, Bombardier: Searle, Flight...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 25/9/43; Gr Island 8/10/43; Love Fd 12/10/43; Assigned 332BS/94BG [XM-Q] Rougham 15/10/43; battle damaged Diepholz 22/2/44 with Julius Blake, crew ? (10 Returned to Duty); crash landed Debach A/fd, Sfk. UK. And skidded into Signal...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 23/1/44; Gr Island 17/2/44; Presque Is 12/3/44; Assigned 728BS/452BG [9Z-M] Deopham Green 13/3/44; Missing in Action Gdynia 6/8/44 with Louis Graber, Co-pilot: Morris Freed, Navigator: Fran Maloney, Bombardier: Nick Milcic, Flight...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Long Beach 18/9/43; Scott 27/10/43; Assigned 614BS/401BG [IW-M] Deenethorpe 3/11/43; transferred 487BG Lavenham 15/7/44; then to 860BS/493BG Debach, on local flight 16/8/44 with Capt Wesley Love, Co-pilot: Charles Boyce, Navigator: Fred...
B-24 Liberator
Crashed on Mission 554 of 15 August 1944. Target : Florennes / Jusaine airfield, Belgium
B-24 Liberator
Shot down by Flak on the 14 June 1944 mission to Laon, France. Crashed near Steene (Nord Department), France. Pilot : Orville H. Brewer Jr; Co-Pilot Lothrop Caldwell; Navigator Wilfred N. Hansen; Bombardier Coleman C. Duncan; Radio Operator/Gunner...
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Long Beach 6/8/43; Cheyenne 9/8/43; 424 Sub Gp Gr Island 3/9/43; Assigned 508BS/351BG [YB-M] Polebrook 24/9/43; 26m transferred 486BG Sudbury 17/7/44; 490BG Eye 8/44; 863BS/493BG Debach with Chas Gibson, damaged by fire 11/6/45; Salvaged ....
B-24 Liberator
B-24 Liberator
Assigned to 850BS, 490BG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 862BS, 493BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Fallersleben; flak hit holed fuel tanks/lines causing conflagration, flames from cockpit to rear of bomb bay. Crew Lt's J.H. Hansen, S.A...
Date | Contributor | Update |
---|---|---|
09 November 2017 12:19:51 | Lucy May | Changes to person associations and aircraft associations |
Sources | ||
Connected aircraft and person records with 'Debach' in biography fields. |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
29 July 2017 11:33:53 | Darren Jelley | Changes to history |
Sources | ||
493rd BG Museum archives |
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Date | Contributor | Update |
27 September 2014 18:02:16 | AAM | AAM ingest |
Sources | ||
Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978) |