Walter Armstrong Duer
MilitaryShot down over occupied France on 11 May 1944 in B-24H #41-29468 'Peg O' My Heart'. After bailing out, Lt Walter Duer landed near Coulonges-les-Sablons, Orne, France, about 15 kilometers to the Northwest of Nogent-le-Rotrou, Eure-et-Loir Department, France. He soon met Lt Colonel Beirne Lay Jr and both men were helped by French citizens until taken in charge by the underground. They were last helped and sheltered near the village of Mazangé, near Vendôme, Loir-et-Cher Department, France, from where they were led on 12 August 1944 to an US Armored unit liberating the region. Both were flown back by a C-47 to England where they landed on 15 August 1944. Retired from USAFR in 1960. See the story of his evasion at https://www.evasioncomete.be/fduerwa.html
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35670952
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32288706
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-660360
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 100th Bomb Group 487th Bomb Group 490th Bomb Group Headquarters Squadron (490th Bomb Group) 838th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-309771
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Group commander
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 31031017
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Peg O My Heart
- Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 11 May 1944
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Lavenham/Alpheton Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
19 September 1921 | ||
Enlisted |
11 September 1942 | as a Private | |
Other Evaded |
11 May 1944 - 12 August 1944 | Escape & Evasion Report at http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-940.pdf | |
Died |
25 December 2005 | ||
Born |
Revisions
Added " / " in the "Role/job" field as a separator to aid readability.
Escape and Evasion Report of Walter Duer at US National Archives: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/5555594
NARA WWII Enlistment records.
MACR (Missing Air Crew Report) # 4750.
Walter DUER’s page at the COMET evasion network website’s page http://www.evasioncomete.org/fduerwa.html
Escape & Evasion Report at http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-940.pdf
SSDI (Social Security Death Index)
NARA WWII Enlistment records.
MACR (Missing Air Crew Report) # 4750.
Walter DUER’s page at the COMET evasion network website’s page http://www.evasioncomete.org/fduerwa.html
Escape & Evasion Report at http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-939.pdf
SSDI (Social Security Death Index)
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4750 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / self, MACR 4750