Lee Roy Billings

Military

Assigned to 783BS, 465BG, 15AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) from raid on Oil refinery in Blechhammer, Germany. When B-24 42-28853 lost a wing over the target he was blown out of the aircraft, fortunately with his chute attached, he survived to be captured. 20-Nov-44. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 9889.



Awards: POW, WWII Victory, EAME, UN and Korean medals.



Post war: Remained in USAF, serving in Korean war and rising to Master Sergeant.

Connections

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Units served with

A B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-28853) of the 456th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force explodes in mid-air over Blechammer as a result of a direct flak hit. 20 November 1944.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Fifteenth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 465th Bomb Group 783rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Squadron Commander - Pilot

Aircraft

A B-24 Liberator (serial number 41-28853) of the 456th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force explodes in mid-air over Blechammer as a result of a direct flak hit. 20 November 1944.
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 465th Bomb Group 783rd Bomb Squadron

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft 4, Gross Tychow, Pomerania

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Gonzales County, TX, USA 16 February 1920 Son of Edgar and Oda E [Hand] Billings. Husband of Patty (Lauchner). Brother of Cecil Billings. Father of Robert Lee Billings and Michael Billings, Grandfather of 7, Sarah, Rachel, Melissa, Josh, David P. Billings USAF Ret., Robert Matthew Billings, Ruthanne Rhoades. GreatGrandfather of 6 (so far) Evelyn Yvonne Billings, Alexander Clark Billings, Gabriel Lee Billings, Sarah Billings, Kaylee Rhoades, Carter Rhoades

Other

Shot down / baled out

Blechhammer, 92439 Bodenwöhr, Germany 20 November 1944 Failed to Return (FTR) from raid on Oil refinery in Blechhammer, Germany. When B-24 42-28853 lost a wing over the target he was blown out of the aircraft, fortunately with his chute attached, he survived to be captured. 20-Nov-44. POW. MACR 9889.

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Tychowo, Poland 20 November 1944 Prisoner of War (POW). Stalag Luft IV.

Died

Riverside County, CA, USA 5 December 2002

Buried

Riverside National Cemetery Riverside Riverside County CA 8 December 2002 Riverside National Cemetery Riverside Riverside County California, USA

Based

Pantanella 20 November 1944 Assigned to 783BS, 465BG, 15AF USAAF.
Smiley, TX, USA

Revisions

Date
ContributorMattuse
Changes
Sources

I’m Robert Matthew Billings. Lee Roy was my grandfather. He told me all about his experiences in the plane that was shot down plus many other stories. I recorded it all on 8mm Sony digital tape, but it’s been lost since made in 1994. He held my daughter Evelyn who was born in 2002. The date of his death is inaccurate. My father knows exactly when. I’m not sure if he was buried in California or Arizona, but my father would know. My father was named after him, and my youngest son Gabriel holds this hero and patriots name also.