About
Richard Thruston Deabler, the son of Glen and Neva (Wilcox) Deabler, was born on March 5, 1920, in Schoharie, New York. He was a graduate of Schoharie High School, where he was the salutatorian of his class, captain of the basketball team, and a member of the baseball team. Richard also attended Cornell University. When he was nineteen he moved with his family to Schenectady and was employed by Borden’s at the World’s Fair in New York.
On April 26, 1941, Richard enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps. He held the rank of Major and was commander of the 53rd Fighter Squadron, 36th Fighter Group. On May 21, 1944, he was killed in action over France; it was his 29th mission. Richard is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Netherlands.
Sources: The Schenectady Gazette, Find A Grave, Ancestry