Donald Bankie Flygstad

Military
media-44462.jpeg UPL 44462 Halcott B. Thomas Crew
95th BG - 335th BS

Standing Left to Right: Gene C. Grime (R/O), Billy C. Ferguson (FE), Millard E. McGowan, Jr. (TG), Fred W. Miller (WG)

Kneeling Left to Right: Halcott B. Thomas (P), Benjamin F. Hathaway (B), Bily P. Decherniss (BTG), Donald B. Flygstad (N), Max Bunin (CP)

This was largely the crew that Halcott Thomas finished his tour with, though his original crew had a sunstantially different composition. The crew in the photo had been the Jammie Philpott crew
95th Bomb Group collection

Object Number - UPL 44462 - Halcott B. Thomas Crew 95th BG - 335th BS Standing Left to Right: Gene C. Grime (R/O), Billy C. Ferguson (FE), Millard E. McGowan, Jr. (TG),...

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Units served with

The insignia of the 95th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-26027
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Paisano
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 96th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron 336th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 336th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: New York Express
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: 13th Jinx
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group

Missions

  • Date: 19 March 1945
  • Official Description:

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Jewell, IA 15 December 1918

Other

95th BG Combat Tour

Horham Airfield, UK 12 October 1944 - 11 April 1944 25 Combat Missions 15 - Philpott Crew 9 - H. Thomas Crew 1 - Collings Crew

Died

Webster City, IA 24 January 2018 Donald Bankie Flygstad of Webster City, Iowa, passed away on January 24, 2018 at Southfield Wellness Center in Webster City. He was 99 years old. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, February 9, 2018 at Trinity Lutheran Church with Reverend Mike Kroona officiating. Burial will be held at Graceland Cemetery with military rites by the American Legion Post #191. Visitation will be on Thursday, February 8, 2018 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Foster Funeral and Cremation Center. Donald was born to parents Myrtle and Bankie Flygstad on December 15th, 1918 in Jewell, Iowa. He went to, Jewell, Duncombe and Webster City schools. He graduated from Duncombe High School. Donald worked on the farm with his parents south of Duncombe. Donald enlisted in the Army in 1942. He went through boot camp and after he was selected for the Army Air Corps, which later became the Air Force. Donald became a navigator, flying in a B17, (The Flying Fortress) stationed in England. His job was to navigate by calculating the route for the pilot. He flew 25 missions across the English Channel bombing Nazi held territories. He received the Distinguish Flying Cross and Air Corp Air Medal for saving his plane by flying it home after the pilot was disabled. Donald returned to Webster City, Iowa after the war and began working as an auto mechanic. In 1947 he married Lois Barkema from Jewell. They had two daughters. Lois became very ill and could not care for her family. They divorced and Don became a single father. In 1962 he married Erma Barkema Frette from Jewell. Along with Don’s two daughters, Erma had a daughter and son. They became an early, blended, family. When Donald retired as a mechanic, he started working as a custodian for the Webster City school district. Don continued that job into his 80s. He delivered Meals on Wheels until he was 90. Donald loved to travel and visited every state and Norway. He was a member of the National B17- 95th Bomb group, American Legion and a bowling league. Donald and Erma loved to go out to eat and often dancing. Donald is survived by his daughter, Diane (David) Flygstad Delegard of Eau Claire, WI. Step-daughter, Carolyn (LuVerne) Frette Anderson of Kalamazoo, MI. Stepson, Donald Frette of Glendale, AZ ; 10 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; sister, Beth (Woody) Lastine of South St. Paul, MN and many extended family. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Erma; his sister, Mildred Clair; brother, Kenneth Flygstad; daughter, Gayle Torgerson and daughter-in-law, Mini Frette. Don was a long time member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Webster City.

Buried

Webster City, IA 30 January 2018 Graceland Cemetery Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa, USA
Webster City, IA

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Updated Died and Buried events per info in the event description.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes

Donald Bankie Flygstad: Gallery (2 items)