William O. Trebing
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces

William O. Trebing was born on 17 October 1922, the son of Edward Wilhelm and Myrtle M. Trebing. The family moved from Illinois to Lafayette, CO, when Bill was in grade school. Later, the Trebings moved to Louisville, CO. The 1920-30's were tough times for the entire nation and, in order to find work, the Trebing family moved to Gowen, OK in the 30's.

When Bill had to go into military service during World War II, he went into the U.S. Army Air Forces where he reached the rank of Staff Sergeant.

On 20 June 1944, SSG Trebing was a gunner on a B-24J Liberator Bomber, S/N 42-9519. His plane was part of a force of 2nd Division's B-24s bombing a NOBALL (VI) launching sites in the Pas-de-Calais area. The flak over the target was the heaviest that most of the crew of 11 had ever seen. The bomber took a direct hit from a 88mm shell that blew away the entire nose section, instantly killing the navigator, Lt. Harold R. Meng, and the Bombardier, Lt. William F. Weck. Meng's body was blown out of the aircraft by the explosion. The plane left the target area with two engines gone and a third engine was lost over the Channel. The remaining engine was losing power as the pilot, 1LT Charles Stevens, brought the wreck in near the Kent coast and crash-landed it into heavy sea's close inshore at Greatstone.

SSG Thomas E. Fulbright and SSG Bernard E. Peak jumped before the landing but delayed too long in opening their chutes. Both were killed instantly when they impacted on the sandy beach.

Of the 11 members of the aircraft crew that day the seven survivors were:

1st Lt Charles W Stevens Pilot
2nd Lt William J Holm Co-pilot
2nd Lt Guy E Tweed Pilotage Navigator
T/Sgt Seth W House Radio Operator
T/Sgt Leon J Boersma Jr Engineer
S/Sgt William O Trebing Gunner
S/Sgt Richard E Black Gunner

More details on the crash, including photos of the aircraft and crew can be found at http://www.greatstone.net/history/US%20Bomber%20Crash.htm.

Medals and Awards

Air Medal
Army Good Conduct Medal
American Theater Campaign Medal
European, African, Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
AAF Aircrew Badge

Family

When Bill entered into the USAAF, his only sister, Mary Elizabeth Trebing [Honoree Record ID 2755], decided that she would do her part, too. There was a need for women pilots, so Mary joined the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). On 7 November 1943, the engine of the PT-19 training plane she was ferrying to Love Field in Dallas, TX, failed in the vicinity of Blanchard, OK. Mary was killed instantly in the resulting crash.

That day, while awaiting orders in Salt Lake City, UT, Bill got a telephone call from his friend, Carmen Romano. He said, "Bill, your wife just had a baby girl!" Before Bill could reply to that, he also said, "Your sister was killed in a plane crash today." In Bill's own words: "From the heights of ecstasy one moment to the depths of despair in the next. This is one moment of my life that I will never forget."

Bill Trebing's daughter, born on the day of Mary's death, received this honorable name to wear through life: Mary Elizabeth Trebing.

Death and Burial

SSG William O. Trebing died on 24 October 2006. He is buried at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Denver County, CO, in Section 52, Site 499.