Personnel

 BRIGADIER GENERAL FREDERICK J. SUTTERLIN 



SN# 0-21633

Born Frankfort Kentucky

April 1942- July 1944- Assitant A-3 (Combat Crew Training) at High Wycombe (code name: pinetree)

July 1944- Sept 1944 Exc Officer 13th Combat Wing

Feb 2, 1945 to June 23, 1945-Commanding Officer of 100th Bomb Group



Known missions of Col Sutterlin



28 FEB 45 KASSEL   WING LEAD  COMMAND PILOT-COL SUTTERLIN



03 APR 45 KIEL    GROUP LEAD  COMMAND PILOT-COL SUTTERLIN



05 APR 45 NURNBURG WING LEAD  COMMAND PILOT-COL SUTTERLIN



11 APR 45 LANDSHUT WING LEAD, COMMAND PILOT-COL SUTTERLIN

 



BRIGADIER GENERAL FREDERICK J. SUTTERLIN



        Retired Jan. 1, 1968.   Died July 23, 1993. 



Brigadier General Frederick J. Sutterlin came to Taiwan Defense Command from his assignment as commander of the 839th Air Division (Tactical Air Command) at Sewart Air Force Base, Tenn. He assumed duty as USTDC chief of staff Aug. 23, 1962. 



Commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Field Artillery Reserve in June 1936, he entered pilot training as a flying cadet and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps (Reserve) upon graduation from Kelly Field in October 1937. He was appointed a second lieutenant in the Regular Army Air Corps in October 1938. 



Upon his initial assignment, Second Lieutenant Sutterlin began an extensive and varied flying career. Through the years, he has been at the controls of the PT-3, BT-2, BT-8, BT-9, P-12, DA-25, A-12, A-17, A-18, A-20, B-6, B-7, B-17, B-18, B-23, B-25, C-40, C-45, C-46, C-47, C-54, B-29, B-50, and C-130 aircraft. 



In addition to his flying activities, Brigadier General Sutterlin has held staff positions in Strategic Air Command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Headquarters U.S. Air Force and has commanded a bombardment group, a bombardment wing, and has had two tours as commander of an air division. 



His staff positions include: deputy assistant and later assistant chief of staff, A-1, Headquarters SAC, August 1945-August 1947; chief, Officers' Assignments and chief, Control Division, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, February 1948-January 1951; chief, Plans Division, Headquarters SAC, August 1953-January 1555; special assistant and later director of programs and assistant deputy chief of staff operations, Headquarters, USAFE, December 1955-October 1956; and deputy director of operations, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff/Operations, Headquarters USAFE, August 1957-June 1960. 



Units which he has commanded include the 100th Bombardment Group, England, February 1945-June 1945; 376th Bombardment Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, La., January 1951-August 1953; 2d Air Division, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, October 1956-August 1957; and the 839th Air Division, Sewart Air Force Base, Tenn. 



Prior to commanding the 100th Bomb Group, Colonel Sutterlin served as Deputy A-3, Combat Crew Training, Headquarters 8th Air Force, at which time he was detailed as project officer for the U.S. Strategic Air Forces Europe Shuttle Bombing Project between England and Russia. Although trained in attack aircraft, Colonel Sutterlin found himself flying B-17 heavy bombers on combat missions. On four occasions his aircraft was damaged by flak. 



While commander of the 100th Bomb Group, Colonel Sutterlin frequently flew lead aircraft for 8th Air Force bomber stream formations of as many as 1,500 aircraft. Also flying as air leader for division or combat wing formations, he compiled a total of 11 combat missions. 



Brigadier General Sutterlin's decorations include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, Order of the British Empire, Croix de Guerre avec palm, and nine battle campaigns. 



(Up to date as of January 1963)



SOC-PAGE 102  flew with the 96th and 390th and was on the first hop to Russian while deputry director of Ops at USTAF.  

 

 

 TAPS: FREDERICK J. SUTTERLIN



He died in July, 1993 in St Petersburg, Florida. A 100th Commanding Officer in the later months of the war. Before coming to the 100th, he had an important job on General Spaatz's staff in Paris. Not many of us knew this quiet, dignified man well, but he did his job effectively. We respected him. He continued his distinguished career after the war and rose to the rank of Brigadier General.   H.H. Crosby, Splasher 6 



Subj: Re: 100thBG Error Report 

Date: 9/5/2001 3:17:41 PM Pacific Daylight Time 

From: fjs123@ameritech.net (Fred Sutterlin)Reply-to: fjs123@ameritech.netTo: MPFaley@aol.com  

Michael,I haven't looked at how to join yet, but point me in the right directionand I will join asap. I am very proud of the role my dad played in the war, but frankly, he never talked about it too much, at least not from the standpoint of missions. I know he was one of the developers of the shuttle bombing concept. I am not even sure of the number of missions he flew, but I think it was 17.  

He used to speak of the time he was leading the whole formation on a bombing approach when he decided to do a 'formation right' maneuver. He said the entire sky exploded right where the formation would have been. Lot to be said for that old gut feeling.  Another time he got home after a mission, got out of the seat and pieceof flak fell down his pants leg. It went through the metal seat,parachute and flight suit somehow. They stripped him down looking forany sign of blood for the purple heart. Not a scratch.  He said that when he got there he insisted on 'tight formations' and that casualties were reduced, but other than that, I do not have anyknowledge of what went on. I have been reading books like Crosby's and others trying to get more information on my father's involvement, but things are a bit sketchy. You can imagine how excited I was to see pictures I had never seen on your web site. I really appreciate what you guys have done.Count me in as part of the foundation.Fred Sutterlin3182 Creekside DriveBeavercreek, Ohio 45434.   tele: 937 426 4633