Ben Derman

Ben Derman enlisted into the US Army Air Force Reserves and was called to active duty on Aug. 14, 1942, while a junior at UW-Madison. Following his training, he was assigned to the 777th Bombardment Squadron, 464th Bombardment Group as a private first class. He was quickly promoted to staff sergeant and flew his first combat mission on May 15, 1944, over Ploesti, Romania. He recalled, "I guess I'm going into the game in the last quarter, for I didn't start combat flying until about a month ago. My first mission was over Ploesti, and that was rough. I, for one, am glad the Romanians are now on our side." Shortly thereafter, he flew on a mission to support the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944. Derman said, "It was my most exciting flight. We flew in support of the ground forces and kind of did the downfield blocking for the boys down there who were carrying the ball." During his time with the 777th, S/Sgt Derman completed 48 combat missions and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters. S/Sgt Ben Derman was killed on Nov. 18, 1944, when he was struck by the propeller of an aircraft on the ground. He is interred at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Italy.