The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1945-07-26
Troy Filler Is
Liberated In
Germany
AZ Mgr. Troy Basketball
Team Led Cinderella Life
In Army Flying Corps.
MEMBER 45OTH GROUP
IN ITALY AND GERMANY

Fort Douglas, Utat, July LIB
Grated after IA months imprison-
ment by the Germans, M/Sgt. Har-
ry D. Cobbledick of Troy, Mont, ar
rived at Reception Station No. II
at Fort Douglas for processing and
the beginning of rs day furlough-
A former West Junior High School
student, Cobbledick transferred to
Troy High School when his parents,
MIR. and Mrs. James CobbleCdck
moved from Salt Lake to Troy. The
former manager of the 1912 Troy
Basketball team, debater and MEM
Der of the track squad, has lived q
cinderella existance since those
days.
Enlisting in the Air Corps In
January OF 1912, Cobbledick was on
his way overseas in November Of
the following year as member OF
the 450th Bombardment Group,
Heavy, of the 18th Air Force. Based
in Italy in the early stages Of the
war, Sgt. Cobbledick's B-24 made
numerous sorties over Anzio, P1oe-
sti and other important detectives
in the Italian campaign. The group
transferred their attention to the
German territory in 1914 and on the
3rd mission over Weinerneustat, the
B-24s of the 450th engaged 100 OF
the famous Goering Yellow Noses,
the top fighter pilots of the then
powerful Luftwaffe During the dog
fight between the B-24s and their
fighter escorts with the NE 1905
and FW 1905 the 450 was official
! Ily credited with downing so of the
100 fighters sent up to chase the
Bias from their target. 1t was in
this fracas that Cabbledick's ship
was shot up, caught fire and blew
: up. Five of the crew went down
,, with the ship, being unable to bail
.. out. The remaining five hit the silk
and Cobbledick, his clothing afire,
drifted down into the waiting arms
of two Austrian soldiers. The sold
iers were not sure whether the par.
achuting soldier was friend or TO.
and while one covered him with ,
gun the other kissed him. 1t wa.
then that the Austrians identified
Cobbledick as an American fliel
and took him into custody.
Taken first to Frankfort, Ger.
many, he was confined in Dulag
y Luft prison for questioning by Ger
/ man Intelligence officers, from
!. there he was confined at Stalag.
Luft, Stalag No. 4 in Pomerania
! Stalag Is in Nuremberg and from
Stalag Is was marched with a group
n of other Allied prisoners 100 miles
+ to Mosseburg, Germany and Stalae
i IA. During the march from Muir.
enburg to Mooseburg, the column
! was strafed by our own planes be.
r fore they were identified as Alice
i prisoners. Sgt. Cobbledick says he
4 will never forget those moments al
he saw his own air force for the
first time since his capture anc
found them pouring lead at their
own troops.
On April 18th, 1945, a spearheac
of the 14th Armored Division cap
tured Mooseburg and liberated Cob
bledick and his companions. He wa
y then flown to Reims, France il
e Cat transport equipment; from
8 France to England by plane and re
. turned from England to the Unitet
> States by boat.
5 Under new Army regulations, Sgt
- Cobbledick will receive a rs da,
= furlough before reporting to an Ar
y my Air Force Redistribution sta
:. ton for future assignment. He viii
y spend his Through with his parent
!, in Troy.
IL