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Warren County, Ohio Military Heritage
Revolutionary War (1774-1784)	War of 1812 (1812-1815)	Mexican War (1846-1848)	Civil War (1861-1865)	Indian Campaigns (~1817-1898)	Spanish American (1898-1902)
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Squadron Patch

IN MEMORY OF
ROBERT M. VERBRYKE
AN AMERICAN HERO KILLED IN ACTION DURING WORLD WAR II

Contributed by:	Charles Edward Doebler on 7 December 2005 [editorial corrections made and photos added on 27 Jan 2008 as providedby Fred Preller, webmaster for the 384thBombGroup.com, Mighty8thAF.Preller.US]
Comments:	Patch is for his squadron, 546th Bomb Squadron (H), 384th Bomb Group, 8th AF, B-17

Born: 28 December 1922 in Warren County, Ohio
Died: 9 September 1944 in Eisenach, Germany
Son of: Hazel (nee Bone) Verbryke and William Joseph Verbryke

Lt. Robert M.Verbryke was sworn in the United States Army Air Corps at the San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center, Randolph Field on 15 February 1943. Fourteen months later he finished his crew training as a bombardier and was assigned to the 8th Air Force, 384th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 546th Bomb Squadron, in England.

On the morning of 9 September 1944 his plane took off from Station 106, Grafton Underwood Airfield, Northamptonshire as a bombardier with pilot Lt. James W. Chadwick at the controls of B-17-G, Tail Number 42-107058 (Nose art, White Angel, see picture, airman unidentified). Today’s target was an aircraft depot in Eisenach, Germany. The plane was hit by Anti-Aircraft-Artillery (AAA). Another common term used by airmen is flak.

Two crew members bailed out of the crippled plane and seven went down with the plane. Lt. Robert M. Verbryke, bombardier, did not survive the crash. He was first listed as Missing-in-action and in December of 1944 as Killed-In-Action after the International Red Cross status was confirmed.

He was interred in a civilian cemetery near the crash site. After the war he was moved to a United States Military Cemetery. In 1950 his mother opted to bring him home. He was laid to rest a final time on 7 May 1950 in the family plot located in Rose Hill Cemetery, Deerfield Township, Warren County, Ohio.

Photos reproduced from B-17G 42-107058, BK*C, "White Angel" courtesy Fred Preller


42-107058 White Angel Charles Gowder DSC.jpg	42-107058 White Angel Gowder Crew.jpg	42-107058 White Angel.jpg

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