World War II Honoree

George W. Betchley

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Yonkers, New York

Honored By

Missouri DAV Chapter 67

HE SERVED WITH THE 429TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON, 2ND BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 15TH AIR FORCE. ON MARCH 22, 1945, HE SERVED AS A NAVIGATOR ON A B-17G FLYING FORTRESS ON A BOMBING MISSION TARGETING THE RUHLAND OIL REFINERY NEAR SCHWARZHEIDE, GERMANY. AFTER TWO OF IT'S ENGINES AND THE LEFT WING WERE DAMAGED BY GERMAN FIGHTERS AND ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN SOUTHWEST POLAND. HIS BODY WAS NOT RECOVERED AND HE WAS DECLARED MISSING IN ACTION AS OF MARCH 22, 1945, BUT HIS STATUS WAS LATER AMENDED TO KILLED IN ACTION.