Russell E. Sackreiter.
Waist Gunner · 329th Squadron · Of Rochester, MN.
The Man Behind the Name
Assigned to 328th Bomb Sqdn., 93rd Bomb Group at Hardwick, England. Flew first mission Feb. 14, 1945 and last mission April 17, 1945 — 23 missions total: 11 as left waist gunner and 12 as radar operator jamming German radar-controlled flak guns.
Service record.
Missions flown.
The missions below are those we have been able to document for this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. It is not necessarily a complete account of every mission flown; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.
Before and after.
Born Aug. 25, 1919 in Montevideo, MN; grew up in Rochester, MN. Worked at Consolidated Aircraft Corp for two years prior to enlisting in USAAC on Oct. 5, 1942. Basic training at BTC #8, Fresno, CA. Graduated from Flexible Gunnery School at Harlingen, TX (August 1944). Joined Terry Aton's B-24 crew at Lincoln AAF, NE. Phase training at Mountain Home AAF, ID (December 1944). Processed through staging area at Topeka AAF, KS; sailed on Ile de France to England.
Arrived back in States June 11, 1945 as tech sergeant; furlough, R&R at Santa Ana AAF, CA; assigned to Buckley Field, CO. Made career of military service — nearly 30 years, retiring Oct. 1, 1972 as master sergeant. Recruiting duty in Youngstown, OH for five years. Met and married Leona E. DeWalk; 47th anniversary March 16, 1993. Served tours in Hawaii, twice in Europe, and five years on ROTC duty at University of Missouri (sergeant major of Detachment 440). Retired to Columbia, MO; worked as purchasing agent for 16 years, retiring 1988. One son, one daughter (both teachers). Numerous awards including Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Meritorious Service Medal, AF Commendation Medal.