World War II Honoree

David Austin Rasbach

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Herkimer, New York

Honored By

Gwen, Jon, Alex, Mary

Relationship

Wife & Family

ENLISTED IN THE U.S. ARMY ON JUNE 18, 1942. HE TOOK PILOT TRAINING AT THE WEST COAST TRAINING COMMAND. GRADUATED AS A MULTI-ENGINE PILOT ON JUNE 22, 1943 AS A 2ND LIEUTENANT. FLEW HIS B-24 BOMBER AND CREW OVERSEAS DECEMBER 11, 1943. HE PILOTED 'YE OLDE RUGGED CURSE' ON 42 COMBAT MISSIONS IN RAIDS OVER REGENSBURG, PLOESTI OIL FIELDS IN RUMANIA, STEGER, AUSTRIA, ANZIO BEACHHEAD AND SOFIA. RECEIVED THE SILVER STAR AIR MEDAL WITH 4 OAK CLUSTERS, DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION AND THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN RIBBON WITH 4 BATTLE STARS. THE BOMBER WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED BY GERMAN FIGHTERS OVER STEYR, AUSTRIA ON APRIL 2, 1944 AND FORCED TO EMERGENCY LAND IN FOGGIA, ITALY. THE PLANE WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR AND SALVAGED FOR PARTS. RETURNED TO THE U.S. WHERE HE INSTRUCTED STUDENT OFFICERS ON FLYING B-24 AIRCRAFT. HE WAS RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY ON SEPTEMBER 25, 1945 AS A 1ST LIEUTENANT. JOINED THE ARMY RESERVES AND WAS PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN ON JULY 14, 1947. HE WAS GIVEN AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE IN 1952.