William C. Strubbe

	NAME William Coleman Strubbe	NICKNAME —	SERVICE NUMBER 378074
	UNIT VMSB-143 Turret Gunner	HOME OF RECORD 222 Oak Street Cincinnati, OH	NEXT OF KIN Father, Mr. John A. Strubbe
	DATE OF BIRTH April 20, 1925 at Cincinnati, OH	ENTERED SERVICE May 1, 1942 at Cincinnati, OH	DATE OF LOSS May 6, 1943
	REGION Solomon Islands	CAMPAIGN / AREA New Georgia, Munda	CASUALTY TYPE Killed In Action
CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS PFC William C. Strubbe was a Marine aviator assigned to VMSB-143, a torpedo bomber squadron operating out of Henderson Field, Guadalcanal. On 6 May 1943, Strubbe flew as the turret gunner in TBF-1 Avenger Bureau Number 06227 in a squadron strike on Munda Airfield, New Georgia. Immediately after releasing a bomb over the target, the Avenger was hit by anti-aircraft fire. The left wing disintegrated, and the plane slammed into the ground beside the runway, exploding and burning on impact. “Circumstances surrounding the accident makes it impossible for pilot and crew to have survived the crash,” noted a casualty report. Strubbe, 1Lt. William C. Spradling, and PFC Frederick J. Beck were reported as killed in action.
INDIVIDUAL DECORATIONS Air Medal, Purple Heart	LAST KNOWN RANK Private First Class	STATUS OF REMAINS Not recovered.	MEMORIALS Manila American Cemetery

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