Armstrong Marshel E.

Name:

Marshel E. Armstrong

Rank:

Staff Sergeant

Serial Number:

32546796

Unit:

860th Bomber Squadron, 493rd Bomber Group

Date of Death:

1944-09-12

State:

New York

Cemetery:

North Norwich Cemetery, North Norwich, New York

Plot:

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Air Medal, Purple Heart

Comments:

Marshel E. Armstrong was born on December 26, 1917, in Norwich, New York. He was married to Hannah F. Titus Goodwin.

Marshel served in the 860th Bomber Squadron, 493rd Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Ball Turret Gunner on the B-17 #43-38319 during World War II. On September 12, 1944, he was killed during a mission to Magdeburg, Germany. They received a direct hit from flak on the left wing, which caught on fire. They immediately fell into a spin and exploded at 18,000 feet. They crashed near Pechau, southeast of Magdeburg, Germany. Eight men on the crew were killed. Only the navigator, F/O Victor Bennett, survived but was taken as a prisoner.

SSgt Armstrong is now buried in the North Norwich Cemetery, North Norwich, Chenango County, New York, USA.

B-17 43-38319 crew:
Pilot: Edwon Bisaro
Co-pilot: Lyle Davis
Bombardier: Harold Winans
Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Ken Rosiere
Radio Operator: Glenn Anderson
Ball turret gunner: Marshel Armstrong
Waist gunner: John Butler
Tail gunner: Irving Shub

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.americanairmuseum.com, honorstates.org