Archie Eugene Billings was born on May 6, 1922 in Washington Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Arden Billings and Norma E Meachem Billings. He attended 3 years of college. Archie joined the Regular Army in Erie, Pennsylvania on 17 September 1942. He later served in the 377th Fighter Squadron, 362nd Fighter Group as a First Lieutenant during World War II. 1LT Billings was Killed in Action on February 13, 1945 in Germany and is now buried in the Luxembourg American Cemetery, Luxembourg. He also has a cenotaph located in Edinboro Cemetery, Edinboro, Erie County, Pennsylvania.
Statement from Capt Darden W. McCollum:
"I was leading the blue flight of a 12 ship formation of Argue ships, on a close support mission in the Echternach Bitburg area. We approached the area over an overcast at an altitude of 5,000 – 6,000 feet, and upon hearing from Klondike that the ceiling below was 2,500 feet and no flak, we dove down thru a hole. My radio went out as we were orbiting in the area and I could not get my flight together in close formation to go back up through, and we were engaged in vigorous flak evasion at the time, so I headed out at 35 – 40 of manifold pressure on a course of 210 degrees, to get back across the lines. I had no communication with anyone and we were separated from the squadron. We were being shot at constantly, and Lt Billing’s ship suddenly started burning about one-half way out to the wing tip, in a 20 foot long flame. I saw the canopy fly off, and the ship went into a glide of about 20 degrees, and hit the ground without leveling off, and burst into a ball of flames on contact with the ground. He was at about 2,500 feet when first hit. He made no attempt to pull up, or level off before hitting the ground, and I saw nothing leave the ship but the object I thought was the canopy. This occurred in the approximate area of Holsthum, Germany, about 5 – 10 miles north of the river, Northwest of Echternach, at 1300 – 1500 hours."
Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov, www.fieldsofhonor-database.com