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Howard S Ortlip

Military

Shot down 30 September 1944 in B-17 #43-38480. Prisoner of War (POW). While en route to target at Bielefeld, Germany, a 500 lb bomb dropped by A/C in higher squadron struck B-17G #43-3815 (Reluctant Lassie) and debris struck this A/C setting left wing on fire. Crashed at about 1415 hrs at Wahmbeckerheide, about 15 miles SE of Bielefeld. Seven Killed in Action (KIA), 2 Prisoner of War (POW).

Service

Units served with

  • 493rd Bomb Group

    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...

  • 860th Bomb Squadron

    860th Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

Aircraft

  • 43-38480

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 8/8/44; Lincoln 18/8/44; Grenier 2/9/44; Assigned 860BS/493BG [NG-S] Debach 13/9/44; Missing in Action Bielefeld 30/9/44 with Edison LaFlame, Co-pilot: Morris Levine, Navigator: Allen Austin, Bombardier: Vince O’Neill, Ball turret...

Associated Place

  • Debach

    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...

Events

Event Location Date
Born Delray Beach, Florida, USA
Prisoner of War (POW) Tychowo, Poland 30 September 1944

Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust) (To Usedom Bei Savenmunde) 54-16
Nationality
American
Nickname
Not yet known
Service numbers
32159322
Highest rank
Sergeant
Role/job
Engineer, Top Turret Gunner
Awards
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
24 December 2021 19:41:09 jmoore43 Changes to biography and events
Sources

Added POW Camp info to the POW event from WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added an association to Stalag Luft 4 per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added a "-" to the A/C tail # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Date Contributor Update
06 April 2020 06:53:31 RayWells Changes to biography and events
Sources

Corrections to biography
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:13:19 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 9430 / MACR 9430, http://493bgdebach.co.uk/roster_list.php">http://493bgdebach.co.uk/roster_list.php>; Losses of 8thAF, vol.4 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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