Lazaro Sosa Cadena

Military

media-23680.jpeg UPL 23680 TSGT Larzaro S. Cadena
Flight Engineer - Donald C. Hayden Crew
388th BG - 561st BS

http://www.388bg.info/servlet/Controller?pageType=detail&id=388-I-CAD01…

Object Number - UPL 23680 - TSGT Larzaro S. Cadena Flight Engineer - Donald C. Hayden Crew 388th BG - 561st BS

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

388th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

561st Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

People

Donald C Hayden

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Captain
Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

42-102559

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Unit: 388th Bomb Group

42-30207

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Nicknames: Big Red
Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron

42-97091

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Nicknames: Dear Mom
Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron

42-97328

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Nicknames: Heaven's Above
Unit: 388th Bomb Group 561st Bomb Squadron

Places

Knettishall

Site type: Airfield

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Born	Los Angeles, California	17 December 1922
Other 388th BG Combat Tour	Knettishall, Diss IP22, UK	23 March 1944 - 10 June 1944	31 Combat Missions
Died	Pico Rivera, CA, USA	13 November 2004	Larry was born on Dec. 17, 1922 in Los Angeles, CA. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on Nov. 23, 1942. The United States had been involved in the war for 11 months. After Larry completed all of his testing during Boot Camp, he qualified to be a Flight Engineer on a B-17. He was assigned to the 388th Bomb Group, 561st Squadron. Larry was the youngest member of the Hayden crew and was thus nicknamed "Chick". As a Flight Engineer, he operated the the top turret's twin 50 caliber machine guns. This gave him a 360 degree view of "Death in the Sky". The 388th was based in southern England, just a short flight over the English Channel from enemy occupied Europe. On their seventh mission, they bombed Augsburg, Germany. The flak was so heavy on the return flight that it knocked out the #1 engine. Enemy fighters knocked out the horizontal stabilizer with their 20mm cannons. The pilot and copilot were knocked unconscious from the heavy shelling. The B-17 was starting to go down, and Larry came down from atop his perch and helped the navigator move the copilot to the rear of the plane. Larry sat in the copilot's seat and flew the plane until the pilot was able to recover. The remaining 600 miles were flown on three engines. After the plane landed, the ground crew counted 220 holes in the plane. For this mission, Larry received the Bronze Star. The eigthteen mission was to Brux, Czechoslovakia to bomb a synthetic oil plant . The mission lasted 9 hours. During the mission, it was estimated that 300 enemy fighters were encountered in an air battle that lasted three hours. At the two and one half hours mark, Larry ran out of ammunition at which point all he could do was spot the enemy fighters as they pierced the formation. 75 enemy fighters were shot down but with the loss of 23 B-17s. Larry claimed to have shot down 3 fighters but was only credited for one kill. Larry flew on D-Day in a mission that dropped bombs 23 minutes before the troops landed. Larry was quoted in an Air Force publication as saying, "This was the most spectacular sight I've ever seen, for as far as the eye could see, there were planes in the sky." Larry completed 30 combat missions over enemy occupied Europe. He was award 5 Air Medals including the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star. In 1957, Larry moved to Pico Rivera with his wife, Martha. They went on to raise 6 beautiful children. Larry loved his family, he loved his city and he loved his country. Larry died peacefully at his home on the morning of 13 Nov, 2004 having fought his last battle, that of lung cancer. He was a patriot to the end.
Enlisted		16 November 2004	Rose Hills Memorial Park Whittier Los Angeles County California, USA