Ross N Defenbaugh
Military ROLL OF HONOURLWG, Larson, A crew. Replacement for a sick crew member. 381st BG, 534th BS, 8th AF. Shot down 11 January 1944 in B-17 #42-3118 'The Green Hornet'. Mission #59 to the aircraft factories at Oschersleben, Germany. Struck by an ME109. MACR 1875. Killed in Action (KIA). Buried in the Ardennes AMC.
Sgt Defenbaugh was seen 14 January 1944 in the Dulag Luft and possibly again 3 months later in a POW camp. It is unknown how he died.
Bloomington, IL
The 1st Bomb Wing/381st BG did not hear the recall while over the continent. 180 out of 700 bombers continued the mission without fighter cover. The 381st BG earned its second Distinguished Unit Citation.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38414001
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12184210
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner, waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-801290
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-809693
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 18037573
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner; Flight Engineer
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Daisy June, Shack Rabbit, The Green Hornet
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 11 January 1944
Places
- Site type: Cemetery
- Known as: Ardennes American Cemetery, Liege, Belgium
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Bloomington, Illinois | ||
|
Buried |
Plot B Row 3 Grave 30 | ||
|
Based |
11 January 1944 |
Revisions
381st Bomb Group Memorial Association, March 1999; MACR 1875, 8th AF losses / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia