480th Sub-Depot
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Debach
Military site : airfield
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B-24 Liberators of the 493rd Bomb Group line up for take off. Image via Mark Brown, AFA. Written on slide casing: 'Debach.'
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LT Jay H Karpin - Bombardier; LT Edward C Klosset - Navigator; LT Donald I Hogan - Pilot
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493rd BG Headquarters 9.1.1945
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Jack Rude, from December of 1944 through April of 1945, served as 493rd Bomb Group , 863rd Bomb Squadron B-17 Flying Fortress tail gunner based in Debach, England.
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Col. Elbert Helton Commanding Officer 493rd BG 1st November 1943 - 15th February 1945
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Lt COL. Shepler W Fitzgerald Jr Commanding Officer 493rd BG 6th June 1945 - 2nd September 1945
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Capt David L Conger Pilot 493rd BG.
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Lt Joe Gualano
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L to R Standing: Lt Harry D McCabe Co-Pilot : Lt Richard A Stresser Navigator : Capt Marion G Lloyd Pilot : FO Richard M Schankel : Sgt John Coutinho Flight Engineer Kneeling: Sgt John A Langenberg Radio Operator : Sgt Clifford A Stocking Jr Gunner : Sgt Robert Kumle Tail Gunner Sgt Paul J Sullivan Gunner : M/Sgt Paul E Wiley Crew Chief
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L to R Standing: 2nd Lt James B Muise Navigator (PoW 5th Nov 1944) : 2nd Lt Donald J Fetters Co-Pilot (KIA 5th Nov 1944) Capt Earl H Johnson Pilot (KIA 5th Nov 1944) : 2nd Lt John D McCombs Bombardier (KIA 5th Nov 1944) S/Sgt Edward L Chernikh Engineer Kneeling: Sgt John E Pitcher Nose Gunner (PoW 5th Nov 1944) : S/Sgt Frank J Zito Radio Operator (PoW 5th Nov 1944) Sgt James P Locke Tail Gunner (transferred to 15th Air Force after tenth mission) : Sgt Dick W Skinner Waist Gunner (PoW 5th Nov 1944) : Sgt Alfred L Atkins Armorer Ball Gunner (PoW 5th Nov 1944) Crew 36 in the 861st Bomb Squadron at McCook AAB April 1944
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.
Detailed history
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
English Heritage's record description
Not yet known
Service
Units
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493rd Bomb 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... -
18th Weather Squadron
Squadron
Browse 18th Weather Squadron photographs and other documents in the 2nd Air Division Memorial Library digital archive here: www.2ndair.org.uk/digitalarchive/Dashboard/Index/60 -
330th Station Complement Squadron
Squadron
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860th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
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861st Bomb Squadron
Squadron
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862nd Bomb Squadron
Squadron
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863rd Bomb Squadron
Squadron
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Headquarters (493rd Bomb Group)
Headquarters
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1143rd Military Police Company
Company
People
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William Adickes
Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 493rd Bomb Group
Assigned to 862BS, 493BG, 8AF USAAF. Awards: DFC, WWII Victory, EAME. -
Larry Adlon
Military | Private First Class | Basic Soldier, Duty Soldier III | 490th Bomb Group
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Cyrus Aidala
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. -
Vernon Alexander
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... -
Alex Alford
Military | Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 493rd Bomb Group
Shot down 12 September 1944 in AC #43-38098. Killed in Action (KIA). -
Robert Arbib
Military | Staff Sergeant | construction Engineer, Clerk
Member of the 820th EAB. Involved in the first phase of construction of Debach Airfield. -
William Armagast
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. -
Henry Arseneaux
Military | Sergeant | Weather Observer | 385th Bomb Group
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Alfred Atkins
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 493rd Bomb Group
Shot down 5 November 1944 in B-17 #4338359. Prisoner of War (POW) POW -
Victor Aubry
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.
Aircraft
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41-29464 The Unlimited
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 -
42-30939
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... -
42-31150 Wongo Wongo
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... -
42-32087 Old Glory/Ain't Misbehavin'
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... -
42-39846 Widdle Twinkle
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... -
42-50442
B-24 Liberator
Crashed on Mission 554 of 15 August 1944. Target : Florennes / Jusaine airfield, Belgium -
42-52750
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... -
42-6151 Round Trip
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 .... -
42-94789
B-24 Liberator
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42-94812 'Little Warrior'
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...
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
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| 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) |
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