D H. Borcherding.
Of New Haven, MO.
The man.
Enlisted in USAAC in September 1942. Trained at Las Vegas, Lowry Field and in Idaho. Assigned to B-17 crew in September 1943. With 93rd Bomb Group in England where retrained and assigned to B-24.
Crashed in Holland on 11th mission, Jan. 30, 1944. Their plane went down with wheels up and skidded through four fields and skipped across three canals before the plane came to a halt in the fourth field and tipped nose down. Only injury was when a 50-caliber spent shell fell from top turret and hit one of the sergeants on the nose. Six of the crew were captured and four escaped, with two getting to Sweden and two to Switzerland.
Borcherding spent time at Stalag VI at Hedykruge; Stalag IV, Keifheide; M-Stammlager XIII-D, Nurnberg; VII-A, Moosburg until liberated by Patton's forces on April 27, 1945. He remembers the march from Nurnberg to Moosburg (120 kilometers). They were near Holtzhusen on April 13 when they received news of President Roosevelt's death. They moved out of the town, gathered on a large hill, and one of the members of the march blew taps while all stood at attention.
Discharged in October 1945. Received Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.
From the 2nd Air Division Association Yearbook
Enlisted in USAAC in September 1942. Trained at Las Vegas, Lowry Field and in Idaho. Assigned to B-17 crew in September 1943. With 93rd Bomb Group in England where retrained and assigned to B-24. Crashed in Holland on 11th mission, Jan. 30, 1944. Their plane went down with wheels up and skidded through four fields and skipped across three canals before plane came to halt in fourth field and tipped nose down. Only injury was when a 50-caliber spent shell fell from top turret and hit one of the sergeants on the nose. Six of crew were captured and four escaped, with two getting to Sweden and two to Switzerland. Borcherding spent time at Stalag VI at Hedykruge; Stalag IV, Keifheide; M-Stammlager XIII-D, Nurnberg; VII-A, Moosburg until liberated by Patton's forces on April 27, 1945.
He remembers the march from Nurnberg to Moosburg (120 kilometers), they were near Holtzhusen on April 13 when they received news of President Roosevelt's death. They moved out of the town, gathered on a large hill and one of the members of the march blew taps while all stood at attention.
Discharged in October 1945. Received Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. Married and has two sons. Was a sports writer from 1948 through July 30, 1990, when retired.
In 1983, he and wife, Delores, made the same trip, by car, where the Germans marched them from Nurnberg to Moosburg. Went into the same barns in which the Germans kept them on the march between the two camps.
In June 1992, they took a trip to 93rd Bomb Group base, followed by a trip to The Netherlands to visit crash site in field where their B-24 ended.
He is retired and doing lots of Red Cross work.
Service record.
Missions flown.
Before and after.
Born on Feb. 18, 1920 in New Haven, MO.
Was a sports writer from 1948 through July 30, 1990, when he retired. Married Delores and has two sons. In 1983, he and wife Delores retraced by car the German march route from Nurnberg to Moosburg, visiting the same barns along the way. In June 1992, they visited the 93rd Bomb Group base and traveled to The Netherlands to visit the crash site where their B-24 came down. Retired and doing lots of Red Cross work.