World War II Honoree

Marshel E. Armstrong

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Chenango, New York

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Staff Sergeant. Inducted into the United States Army October 28, 1942 at Binghamton, New York. Upon his graduation from recruit training, he was designated to attend the Flight Aviation Training Program. Following his Gunnery training, he served as a B-17 ‘Flying-Fortress’ Bomber Ball Turret Gunner, assigned to the 860th Bomber Squadron, 493rd Bomber Group, an element of the U.S. 8th Air Force ‘Mighty Eighth’ Army Air Forces. His unit was based at the Debach Royal Air Force Station Location: Woodbridge, England. Tuesday, September 12, 1944 he was killed in action, on a bomb run to an Ordnance Depot at Magdeburg, Germany. Personnel from a Graves Registration Company buried him in the Neuville-en-Condroz Battlefield Cemetery Liege, Belgium. In the post-war era, this Airman’s family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at the North Norwich Cemetery, North Norwich, New York. This American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Air Medal and the Purple Heart. The Air Medal was awarded to the Sergeant for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight, and the Purple Heart for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.