Rank and Name, Sergeant David S. Becker.
Unit/Placed in, 563th Bomber Squadron, 388rd Bomber Group (Heavy).
David was born on 28 April 1925 in Stillwater, Payne County, Colorado.
Father, Edgar Nathan Becvker.
Mother, Marion Helen (Parsons) Becker.
Brother(s), Robert Miron, Gordon Raymond and Richard Dean Becker.
Spouse, Ruth Matilda (Waren) Becker.
David enlisted the service at no record.
David S. Becker was a Waist Gunner in the 563th Bomber Squadron.
David‘s Crew-members and their position on-board the plane a B-17 were,
2ndLt. Robert F. Bare Pilot
Flight/Officer James D. Westbrook Co Pilot
Flight/Officer Robert L. Sonnenberg Navigator
Sgt George Shants jr Toggler
Sgt Vernon F. Hofman Radio Operator
Sgt Sam P. Umstead Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
Sgt Andrew R. Strable Ball Turret Gunner
Sgt David S. Becker Waist Gunner
Sgt James B. Rorie jr. Tail Gunner
S/Sgt Robert C. Pedersen Radar Counter Measures
A Toggler dropped the bombs. he flew in place of the bombardier, but he did not use the bomb sight. He was not a trained bombardier. He just watched the lead ship in the formation and dropped (or toggled) his bombs when the lead ship started to drop its bombs.
RCM is Radar Counter Measures. He would try to jam the German gun laying radar by jamming the radar signals using transmitters tuned to the same frequencies being used by the German radar but transmitting noise. Sometimes this was called spot jamming. He may have also dropped the foil strips (called Window or Chaff or “Rope”). As the war went on it all became more sophisticated.
Eng TTG is the Flight Engineer who was also typically the Top Turret Gunner.
David S. Becker was KIA during a Bomb raid to Kaltenkirchen, (Germany), the plane came in collision with a ME-109 , on April. 7, 1945, and he is honored with the Purple Heart, Good Combat Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European, Middle Eastern, African Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.
David is buried in Colorado at the Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver in Denver County.
Thanks to the 388th BG http://www.388bg.info/
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KWZ9-T4J
Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com ww2-europe.com
Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.
ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov
Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/ Geoffrey Roecker
Seabees History Bob Smith https://seabeehf.org/
Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org
POW Info, http://www.mansell.com Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.
Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Robert Capistrano
Navy Seal Memorial, http://www.navysealmemorials.com
Family Info, https://www.familysearch.org
WW2 Info, https://www.pacificwrecks.com/
Medals Info, https://www.honorstates.org
Medals Forum, https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/
Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com
Tank Destroyers, http://www.bensavelkoul.nl/
WordPress en/of Wooncommerce oplossingen, https://www.siteklusjes.nl/
Military Recovery, https://www.dpaa.mil/
It was divided into two formations, Task Force Task Force 1 and 2, each consisting of two wings, respectively, 45 and 13 and 93 and 4. 45. Wing lost six bombers, including four by ramming. The tactic proved successful, hit planes usually had no chance of survival. For example, the B-17 42-31366 Snake Eye lost by the impact of the bill, in two parts as the plane broke up Paula Sue number 43-38869.Sonderkommando Elbe also lost two machines with 13 wings, of which one (42-97071 Candys Dandy) exploded on impact, which also resulted in the death of the entire crew. Interestingly, the remains of that fighter quite seriously damaged another two Flying Fortresses, but both returned to base.
– Lt. Robert F. Bare
# 43 – 38869 ” Paula Sue ”
Rammed by LW Fighter
All 9 Crewmen MIA , Later changed to KIA. MACR # 13723
Also Rammed by LW Fighter This Mission
2Lt. Lewis Hickman Jr. Crew 388th BG , 561st Sq.
Notes 43-38869 Delivered: Hunter 30/9/44; Dow Fd 11/10/44; Assigned: 563BS/388BG Knettishall 17/10/44; MIA Parchim, Germany. 7/4/45 Pilot: Bob Bare, Jim Westbrook, Bob Sonnenberg, George Shantz, Sam Hinstead, Vernon Hofmann, Andy Strable, Dave Becker, Jesse Rorie, Bob Pedersen {rcm} (10KIA); Enemy aircraft & hit by debris from aircraft above; crashed Steinhuden Meeres, Ger. PAULA SUE.
Source B-17 Master Log – Dave Osbourne
388th Bombardment Group (H) Association Incorporated 8 the Air Force, 3rd Air Division, 45th Combat Wing Station 136, Knettishall England, 1943-1945 333 Total Missions
