US Army Air Force

The hero

After literally losing the nose of his B-17 Flying Fortress (398th BG – 601st SQ) as the result of a direct hit by flak over Cologne, Germany on October 15, 1944, 1st Lt. Lawrence M. de Lancey, 25, of Corvallis, Oregon returned to England and landed the crew safely at his home base. Each man walked away from the plane except the bombardier, Staff Sergeant George E. Abbott, Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, who was killed instantly when the flak struck. It was only the combined skill and teamwork of Lt. de Lancey and 2nd Lt. Raymond J. Le Doux, of Mt. Angel, Oregon, navigator, that enabled the plane and crew to return safely. Lt. de Lancey was awarded the Silver Star by Lt Gen James Doolitle. The other members of the crew were: Technical Sergeant Benjamin H. Ruckel, Roscoe, California, engineer top turret gunner; Technical Sergeant Wendell A. Reed, Shelby, Michigan, radio operator gunner; Technical Sergeant Russell A. Lachman, Rockport, Mass., waist gunner; Staff Sergeant Albert Albro, Antioch, California, ball turret gunner and Staff Sergeant Herbert D. Guild, Bronx, New York, tail gunner. The story told by De Lancey himself can be read at http://www.footnote.com/page/73379842_lawrence_m_de_lancey/