History-storiesfrom the 448thBomberGroup

Finding RussellStutzman

Here is afascinatingtaleofhistoryand discoveryfrom asmallgroup whichuncoversstories ofthepeopleconnected to Station 146andthe 448thBomberGroup stationedatSeething, in Norfolk.Oneofthe lead researchers, Ann-MargaretBarber,hasbeentrying to findout more about aring foundinthe groundsofSeething ControlTower.

Justsomeofthememorabiliaofthe448thbombergroupatSeething

When researching something, youneed to do it forareason!Inthis case, Icameacross aphotographofa ring,taken about12 yearsago, in ourpersonal collection.The photographwas accompanied by arequest forinformation,and this intriguedme. Thenameofthe person whofound thering was given, theinscriptiononitwas ‘RusselStutzman’, together witha numberand whereitwas found. So wheredid Istart?The numberwasperhaps aservice number, giventhatit wasfound on adisused USAAFWW2 airfield,and theairfield bomb storehadnotbeentoofar away. Coulditbethatsomeone witha militaryoccupation camehere, losthisring,andovertimeitwas lostinthesoilofploughedfields? Idecidedtoassumethat thenumberwas aUSAAF servicenumber,andhopedI couldmatch itwith anameto confirmtheidentity ofthe man. Thispaid off;itmatched to RussellStutzman,anAmerican Servicemanbornin1919inBlack Creek, Wisconsin,USA.The timebetween completinghis draftcardand hisenlistment was15months. He enlistedatFt Sheriden,Illinois,andthere he wasgiven hisservicenumber, whichwas foundonhisring. Aswithallthepeople I research,Ilookedbackinto hisfamilyhistory; whowere his mother andfather,did he have anybrothersorsisters,did they enter theservices? Itraced thefamilybackto1910using theircensus returns,andthis made veryinteresting reading. It’spossible through this to understandthe originsofsome oftheAmericanServicemen’s surnamesandmakea guess as to theirancestors' roots. This wasjustthe startof my journey to ‘find’ Russell Stutzman, amemberofthe USAAF whoperhapsservedat Station 146,Seething, Norfolk, or didhe? To follow thisstory, withitsmanytwists andturns, join ourFacebookpage,Stories ofthe448th orlook usupat www.storiesofthe448th.com