Frederick A. Delbern
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
Photo 1: Fred Delbern, 1943
Photo 2: Geri and Fred Delbern, 1943
Photo 3: Wedding party picture, Geri and Fred Delbern, 1942
Photo 4: Geri Delbern
(All photographs courtesy of Geraldine "Geri" Hanson Delbern Marshall)
Mr. Delbern served during World War II in the European Theater.
He served in the U.S. Army Air Force in the 95th Bomb Group.
Mr. Delbern was killed on a mission in 1943. He was piloting a B-17 Lonesome Polecat II when it was struck by enemy fire. His copilot, Donald Neff, was dead in the seat next to him. Mr. Delbern made certain that all of his men had bailed out of the plane, which crashed into the North Sea a few hundred yards offshore from Texel Island. He succeeded: When the plane hit the water, Delbern was the only living man on board. He did not survive.
Mr. Delbern left behind Geri Hanson Delbern, his widow. See an oral history interview with Geraldine at: http://www.vets-hall.org/stories/world-war-ii...
Source: Geraldine Hanson Delbern Marshall, and "Remembering World War II Airmen" site (http://untoldvalor.blogspot.com/2009/11/air-f...).
