| Notes |
- I called and spoke with "Jo" on 11 May 1995. She is a very nice lady! She gave me quite a bit of their Drollinger family genealogy. She said she has lots of info on the family! She has a "huge" chart from Sighard Drollinger.
According to Marie "Jo", she and her husband, Richard had a total of three children, all boys.
She told me that Richard had been a B-24 bomber pilot in WWII! I find that interesting because Howard Blaine Drollinger Jr. was a B-24 navigator in WWII and my father, Lynn Howard Drollinger, was a P-51 pilot in WWII!
(David H. Drollinger Jan 2005)
1930 United States Federal Census
Name: Richard Drollinger
Gender: Male
Birth Year: abt 1920
Birthplace: Ohio
Race: White
Home in 1930: Akron, Summit, Ohio
Marital Status: Single
Relation to Head of House: Son
Father's Name: Harry Drollinger
Father's Birthplace: Ohio
Mother's Name: Grace Drollinger
Mother's Birthplace: Ohio
1940 United States Federal Census
Name: Richard Drollinger
Age: 19
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1921
Gender: Male
Race: White
Birthplace: Ohio
Marital Status: Single
Relation to Head of House: Son
Home in 1940: Akron, Summit, Ohio
Street: Welsh
Inferred Residence in 1935: Akron, Summit, Ohio
Residence in 1935: Same House
Sheet Number: 3A
Occupation: New Worker
Attended School or College: No
Highest Grade Completed: High School, 4th year
Weeks Worked in 1939: 0
Income: 0
Income Other Sources: No
Aircraft Cmdr: Benbow, John W., O-742935 | Benbow's Crew (15), BATTLE WEARY | T.O.-NOL81, VBC, 3 Dec 44, 2/Lt | PAR15, SO140, FEAF, 1 Nov 44, Capt |
528th Squadron WWII, 380th Bombardment Group H
Pilot: Drollinger, Richard H., O-684499 | Benbow's Crew (15), BATTLE WEARY | T.O.-NOL81, VBC, 3 Dec 43, 2/Lt | PAR15, SO140, FEAF, 1 Nov 44, 2/Lt |
Navigator: Barnes, Harold F., O-750237 | Benbow's Crew (15), BATTLE WEARY | T.O.-NOL81, VBC, 3 Dec 43, 2/Lt | PAR15, SO140, FEAF, 1 Nov 44, 1/Lt |
Bombardier: Wentz, Donald R., O-741296 | Benbow's Crew (15), BATTLE WEARY | T.O.-NOL81, VBC, 3 Dec 43, 2/Lt | PR Nov 44, RM, 2/Lt |
Flt Eng: Bennett, Thomas R., 32612906 | Benbow's Crew, Navran's Crew (15, 7), BATTLE WEARY | T.O.-NOL81, VBC, 3 Dec 44, S/Sgt | PR Nov 44, RM, T/Sgt |
Radio Opr: Rivers, Jack W., 18217592 | Benbow's Crew (15), BATTLE WEARY | T.O.-NOL81, VBC, 3 Dec 43, S/Sgt | PAR4, SO125, FEAF, 17 Oct 44, T/Sgt |
Asst Flt Eng, Gunner: McCarter, John H. Jr., 34427061 | Benbow's Crew (15), BATTLE WEARY | T.O.-NOL81, VBC, 3 Dec 43, Sgt | PAR4, SO125, FEAF, 17 Oct 44, T/Sgt |
Asst Radio Opr, Gunner: DeFeo, Antonio M., 31207962 | Benbow's Crew (15), BATTLE WEARY | T.O.-NOL81, VBC, 3 Dec 43, Sgt | PAR2, SO185, FEAF, 16 Dec 44, S/Sgt |
Gunner: Brazeal, J. (IO) M. (IO), 38220088 | Benbow's Crew (15), BATTLE WEARY | T.O.-NOL81, VBC, 3 Dec 44, Sgt | PR Nov 44, RM, S/Sgt |
Gunner: Urbanski, Edward T., 31168208 | Benbow's Crew (15), BATTLE WEARY | T.O.-NOL81, VBC, 3 Dec 43, Sgt | PR Nov 44, RM, S/Sgt |
380TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H)
"THE FLYING CIRCUS"
"THE KING OF THE HEAVIES"
5TH AIR FORCE, USAAC
IN AUSTRALIA DURING WW2
On 1 March 1943, the air echelon of the 380th Bomb Group relocated to Lowry Field, Denver, Colorado. Here they engaged in long cross country flights. While at Lowry Field Capt. Zed S. Smith took over as CO of 528th Bomb Squadron and Capt. Fred Miller became CO of the 530th Bomb Squadron. The air echelon of the 380th Bomb Group relocated to Topeka, Kansas on 4th and 5th April 1943 where they picked up their aircraft to take to Australia. The ground echelon moved to Camp Stoneman, California. On 14 April 1943, Operations Order #273 issued through the 11th Ferrying Group, ATC, at Hamilton Field, California approved the immediate deployment of the 380th Bombardment Group to V Bomber Command in the 5th Air Force. The first of thirty eight B-24 Liberators left for Australia the following day. They arrived at Amberley airfield west of Brisbane between 22 and 30 April 1943. B-24 Liberator #519 flown by Lt. Clarence Corpening was lost somewhere between Hawaii and Christmas Island. The B-24 had been plagued with fuel leak problems and was originally repaired at Hamilton field.
Lt. Col. Miller reported to General George C. Kenney at the Fifth Air Force's Headquarters in Brisbane to receive his orders. The 380th Bomb Group was placed under Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) command and assigned to Fenton airfield in the Northern Territory in the RAAF's North West Area of operation. They were temporarily diverted to Charters Towers airfield in north Queensland where they received in-theater modifications. The 528th Squadron were the first to leave Amberley airfield on 28 April 1943. While at Fenton airfield the 380th made some of the longest bombing missions of World War 2 such as their raids on the oil refineries at Balikapapan in Java. They bombed airfields in the East Indies and Japanese shipping.
Enlisted US Army 28 Jan 1941 Fort Hayes Ohio, discharged 25 Jun 1943 to accept commission as 2nd LT 26 June 1943, RFAD 15 Nov 1946, enl RA 8 Jan 1947 discharged 23 Mar 1948, commissioned 1st LT USAFR, RFAD 31 Jul 1964 as LTC, buried Fort Logan National Cemetery plot O 1642 Denver CO
MOORE FIELD, TX
ACCIDENT LISTING
14 Jun 1943 P-40F 41-19773 MOORE FIELD 15 MI NW, TX
Name: Richard Harry Drollinger Gender: Male Birth Date: 19 Sep 1920 Death Date: 7 Dec 1977 SSN: 288125869 Branch 1: AF Enlistment Date 1: 26 Jun 1943 Release Date 1: 31 Jul 1964
Data from service record of Richard Harry Drollinger, copy in possession of Gordon L. Drollinger
|
1920 - 1977 (57 years)
