The following was published in the Chisholm Tribune Press.
"T-SGT. FRED DECOBELLIS - Fred DeCobellis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ben DeCobellis, 13 2nd street southwest, was killed at Nadzab, New Guinea, May 5, 1944, when an Australian plane coming in for a forced landing struck the air strip instead of the runway. A wing of the plane struck the Chisholm man, throwing him into the revolving propeller of a second plane, killing him instantly. He had entered the service April 29, 1942, and was a flight engineer and ground chief with the 5th U.S. Army Air Forces. Fred and Ernest were brothers. Within the same week, their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ben DeCobellis of Chisholm, were informed of both their sons' deaths."
Fred served with the 501st Bomb Squadron, of the 345th Bomb Group. His very unfortunate death was classified as DNB -- Died Non-Battle -- where personnel passed in the line-of-duty from, like in his case, an accident. A touching mention of Fred was published in the book, "Wing and a Ring, letter of war and love from a WWII Pilot" by Rene Palmer Armstrong, (Sept. 2011, page 311) "Mission: May 5, 1944; An accident occurred on the line causing the death of one of our oldest and best crew chiefs, T/Sgt. Fred Decobellis. He came over from the States with our Squadron, and had always been one of the most reliable and dependable mechanics. It was with a feeling of respect and sorrow that the Squadron attended the funeral of Sgt. Decobellis at the Army Air Forces Cemetery at APO 713 on May 6th."
In the book, "Air Apaches", (2019, page 187) by Jay A. Stout, Fred's death is mentioned . "Fred DeCobellis of the 345th's 501st Bomb Squadron was working on the flightline when an Australian aircraft attempted a forced landing. The aircraft missed the airstrip, and DeCobellis was struck by one of its wings and thrown into the turning propeller of another aircraft. He was one of the most reliable and dependable mechanics. Squadron members attended his funeral the next day with a felling of respect and sorrow."
By early 1944 the Nadzab Airbase, operated by the US Army Air Corps, would house the headquarters of US Fifth Air Force, US 5th Bomber Command, and US 5th Fighter Command. Bombers, fighters, and various other types of combat and support aircraft busied over the two roughly east-to-west runways.
"T-SGT. FRED DECOBELLIS - Fred DeCobellis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ben DeCobellis, 13 2nd street southwest, was killed at Nadzab, New Guinea, May 5, 1944, when an Australian plane coming in for a forced landing struck the air strip instead of the runway. A wing of the plane struck the Chisholm man, throwing him into the revolving propeller of a second plane, killing him instantly. He had entered the service April 29, 1942, and was a flight engineer and ground chief with the 5th U.S. Army Air Forces. Fred and Ernest were brothers. Within the same week, their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ben DeCobellis of Chisholm, were informed of both their sons' deaths."
Fred served with the 501st Bomb Squadron, of the 345th Bomb Group. His very unfortunate death was classified as DNB -- Died Non-Battle -- where personnel passed in the line-of-duty from, like in his case, an accident. A touching mention of Fred was published in the book, "Wing and a Ring, letter of war and love from a WWII Pilot" by Rene Palmer Armstrong, (Sept. 2011, page 311) "Mission: May 5, 1944; An accident occurred on the line causing the death of one of our oldest and best crew chiefs, T/Sgt. Fred Decobellis. He came over from the States with our Squadron, and had always been one of the most reliable and dependable mechanics. It was with a feeling of respect and sorrow that the Squadron attended the funeral of Sgt. Decobellis at the Army Air Forces Cemetery at APO 713 on May 6th."
In the book, "Air Apaches", (2019, page 187) by Jay A. Stout, Fred's death is mentioned . "Fred DeCobellis of the 345th's 501st Bomb Squadron was working on the flightline when an Australian aircraft attempted a forced landing. The aircraft missed the airstrip, and DeCobellis was struck by one of its wings and thrown into the turning propeller of another aircraft. He was one of the most reliable and dependable mechanics. Squadron members attended his funeral the next day with a felling of respect and sorrow."
By early 1944 the Nadzab Airbase, operated by the US Army Air Corps, would house the headquarters of US Fifth Air Force, US 5th Bomber Command, and US 5th Fighter Command. Bombers, fighters, and various other types of combat and support aircraft busied over the two roughly east-to-west runways.
The following was published in the Chisholm Tribune Press.
"T-SGT. FRED DECOBELLIS - Fred DeCobellis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ben DeCobellis, 13 2nd street southwest, was killed at Nadzab, New Guinea, May 5, 1944, when an Australian plane coming in for a forced landing struck the air strip instead of the runway. A wing of the plane struck the Chisholm man, throwing him into the revolving propeller of a second plane, killing him instantly. He had entered the service April 29, 1942, and was a flight engineer and ground chief with the 5th U.S. Army Air Forces. Fred and Ernest were brothers. Within the same week, their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ben DeCobellis of Chisholm, were informed of both their sons' deaths."
Fred served with the 501st Bomb Squadron, of the 345th Bomb Group. His very unfortunate death was classified as DNB -- Died Non-Battle -- where personnel passed in the line-of-duty from, like in his case, an accident. A touching mention of Fred was published in the book, "Wing and a Ring, letter of war and love from a WWII Pilot" by Rene Palmer Armstrong, (Sept. 2011, page 311) "Mission: May 5, 1944; An accident occurred on the line causing the death of one of our oldest and best crew chiefs, T/Sgt. Fred Decobellis. He came over from the States with our Squadron, and had always been one of the most reliable and dependable mechanics. It was with a feeling of respect and sorrow that the Squadron attended the funeral of Sgt. Decobellis at the Army Air Forces Cemetery at APO 713 on May 6th."
In the book, "Air Apaches", (2019, page 187) by Jay A. Stout, Fred's death is mentioned . "Fred DeCobellis of the 345th's 501st Bomb Squadron was working on the flightline when an Australian aircraft attempted a forced landing. The aircraft missed the airstrip, and DeCobellis was struck by one of its wings and thrown into the turning propeller of another aircraft. He was one of the most reliable and dependable mechanics. Squadron members attended his funeral the next day with a felling of respect and sorrow."
By early 1944 the Nadzab Airbase, operated by the US Army Air Corps, would house the headquarters of US Fifth Air Force, US 5th Bomber Command, and US 5th Fighter Command. Bombers, fighters, and various other types of combat and support aircraft busied over the two roughly east-to-west runways.
"T-SGT. FRED DECOBELLIS - Fred DeCobellis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ben DeCobellis, 13 2nd street southwest, was killed at Nadzab, New Guinea, May 5, 1944, when an Australian plane coming in for a forced landing struck the air strip instead of the runway. A wing of the plane struck the Chisholm man, throwing him into the revolving propeller of a second plane, killing him instantly. He had entered the service April 29, 1942, and was a flight engineer and ground chief with the 5th U.S. Army Air Forces. Fred and Ernest were brothers. Within the same week, their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ben DeCobellis of Chisholm, were informed of both their sons' deaths."
Fred served with the 501st Bomb Squadron, of the 345th Bomb Group. His very unfortunate death was classified as DNB -- Died Non-Battle -- where personnel passed in the line-of-duty from, like in his case, an accident. A touching mention of Fred was published in the book, "Wing and a Ring, letter of war and love from a WWII Pilot" by Rene Palmer Armstrong, (Sept. 2011, page 311) "Mission: May 5, 1944; An accident occurred on the line causing the death of one of our oldest and best crew chiefs, T/Sgt. Fred Decobellis. He came over from the States with our Squadron, and had always been one of the most reliable and dependable mechanics. It was with a feeling of respect and sorrow that the Squadron attended the funeral of Sgt. Decobellis at the Army Air Forces Cemetery at APO 713 on May 6th."
In the book, "Air Apaches", (2019, page 187) by Jay A. Stout, Fred's death is mentioned . "Fred DeCobellis of the 345th's 501st Bomb Squadron was working on the flightline when an Australian aircraft attempted a forced landing. The aircraft missed the airstrip, and DeCobellis was struck by one of its wings and thrown into the turning propeller of another aircraft. He was one of the most reliable and dependable mechanics. Squadron members attended his funeral the next day with a felling of respect and sorrow."
By early 1944 the Nadzab Airbase, operated by the US Army Air Corps, would house the headquarters of US Fifth Air Force, US 5th Bomber Command, and US 5th Fighter Command. Bombers, fighters, and various other types of combat and support aircraft busied over the two roughly east-to-west runways.
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