Surnames: Fahrenbach, Witt, White, Wredman, Lieders

----Source: Abbotsford Tribune (Abbotsford, Clark County, Wis.) 09/20/1945

Fahrenbach, Elroy L. (17 Mar. 1918 - 24 Mar. 1944)

Sgt. Elroy Fahrenbach, 26, a flight officer on a B-24 bomber, who was missing in action since March 24, 1944, in the North Africa theatre of operations, has been declared dead officially by the War Department, according to information received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Fahrenbach, of Curtiss.

Sgt. Fahrenbach left the States Feb. 22, 1944, and nothing was heard from or concerning him until the War Department message April 10 sent to his parents telling them he was missing.

The Curtiss service man was born in Curtiss March 17, 1918, and was graduated from Abbotsford high school in 1936. He was a student for three years at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in the mechanical engineering division, and also was a member of the Reserve Officers Training Corps and the Pershing Rifle club.

In June, 1940, he left for Los Angeles, Calif., to be employed as a draftsman for the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. In Nov. 1942, he enlisted in the Army Air Forces, took his basic training at Gulfport, Miss., and six weeks of gunnery school at Kingsman, Arizona, where he was awarded his wings.

He then was assigned to a bomber group as flight engineer at Pocatello, Idaho, where he trained for three months. His squadron left for overseas duty on Oct. 15, but Sgt. Fahrenbach and three other airmen from his group were retained in this country for more extensive training at Muroc, Calif., as a "crack squadron" type which flies in extremely close formation.

This squadron of B-24 bombers participated in a combat mission on March 24, 1944, to the ballbearing plant at Steyr, Austria, a high priority target. Enroute to the target two planes collided, one being Sgt. Fahrenbach’s plane, which crashed into the Adriatic in foggy weather.

His parents have received the Purple Heart.

Surviving are his parents, two brothers, William J. Fahrenbach, Curtiss; and Herbert Fahrenbach, Abbotsford; and six sisters, Mrs. Harney (Irene) Witt, Unity; Mrs. Paul (Minnie) White, Columbia, South Carolina; Miss Evelyn Fahrenbach, Edgar; Miss Bernice Fahrenbach, and Mrs. William (Margaret) Wredman, Chicago; and Mrs. Orville (Lillian) Lieders, Abbotsford, Wis.