Walter K Shayler
Military
Standing left to right: Lieutenant Hershell R De Wall (pilot), Captain Reinaldo Jose Saiz (bombardier), Lieutenant Darius Raymond Davis (navigator), Major Walter K Shayler (copilot) and Lieutenant Willard H. Bergeron (pilot).
Kneeling left to right: Staff Sergeant George W Wilson (waist gunner), Tech Sergeant LeRoy Cline (radio operator), Staff Sergeant Vernon R Appleton (tail gunner), Staff Sergeant Norman A Hemmings (ball turret gunner), Tech Sergeant Alphonse B Serwa (flight engineer) and Staff Sergeant Simeon Oxendine (waist gunner).
US Official photograph shared across from Fold3: https://www.fold3.com/image/161242199
Object Number - UPL 29668 - Lead crew on bombing mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany, beside B-17 'Satan's Workshop!', England, 30 December 1943. Standing left to right:...
15-Sep-42 Trained for a time as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24620 [PU-O] "Snap! Crackle! Pop!, 303BG/360BS at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas.
Walter K. Shayler, then a 2nd Lt., was assigned to the 303rd shortly after its activation and came overseas with the 360th Squadron. He was squadron operations officer during the early trial and tribulation period of combat. When Colonel Lewis E. Lyle was relieved of command and assigned as deputy group commander, Captain Shayler was appointed commanding officer of the squadron and has continued to maintain a high degree of efficiency and morale ever since.
Colonel Shayler attended the University of Washington and after graduation worked for
Montgomery, Ward and Company. He left this position to join the Air Corps and graduated
as a pilot in February, 1942.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
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
![Captain Edmund J Skoner, Chaplain of the 303rd Bomb Group, writing letters in his quarters. Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 16 Dec 1942.' [stamp] and '238755.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'A priest in the services has to combine many offices and Captain (chaplain) Edmund O Skoner is no exception. Before joining up Captain Skoner was assistant priest at the Immaculate Conception Church 31st and Aberdeen Streets, Chicago. Capt Skoner a](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378823.jpg.webp?itok=oyQ5wVYL)
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Chaplain
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Snap! Crackle! Pop!
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 27 February 1943
- Date: 30 December 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 12 December 1942
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
13 December 1914 | ||
|
Other Trained with Aircraft |
Biggs Field, TX 79918, USA | 15 September 1942 | Trained as a Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24620 "Snap! Crackle! Pop!" 303BG/360BS, Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas. |
|
Other Mission #1, 1LT Walter K. Shayler, w/B-17F 41-24620, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Rouen, France | 12 December 1942 | Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24620 "Snap! Crackle! Pop!" 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshallig yards at Rouen, France, but mechanica;l failures foced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #2, 1LT Walter K. Shayler, w/B-17F 41-24620, 303BG/360BS |
Lorient, France | 30 December 1942 | Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24620 "Snap! Crackle! Pop!" 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #3, 1LT Walter K. Shayler, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Brest, France | 27 February 1943 | Served as an Observer on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomnb the port area and U-Boat pens at Brest, France. RTB OK. |
|
Died |
1 April 1998 |
Revisions
NARA files verified Birth and Death dates, DFC w/2 Oak Leaf Clusters and AM w/4 Oak Leaf Clusters. He earned at least one bronze star device on the EAME Campaign Medal.
Information taken from the 303rd Bomb Group Unit History.
Lee Cunningham 26-FEb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 27-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/018.pdf
Lee Cunningham 26-Feb-2016. Made connections to Mission of 27-Feb-43 per 303BG records: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016. Corrected rank in Mission #1 & #2 events.
Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf
Lee Cunningham 25-Jan-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 12-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf
Lee Cunningham 15-Jan-2016. Added Trained with Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, 303BG personnel records: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 15-Jan-2016. Added Summary Biography and made connections to Place, AIrcraft (through 3-Jan-43), and Missions (through 3-Jan-43) per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, 303BG personnel records: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Mighty Eighth Air Force Heritage Museum Membership List, July 2000
