Donald C Schumann

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-49536.jpeg UPL 49536 Donald C Schumann and crew

Photo of Donald C Schumann and crew

Object Number - UPL 49536 - Donald C Schumann and crew

Donald C. Schumann. 2nd Lieutenant 448 BG, 712th BSqn, 2nd div. 8th air force. Pilot of a B-24 "Prodigal Son". They flew out of RAF Seething/AAF Sta 146 Norfolk on 1/11/1944. They were shot down at Lheebroek, Netherlands by Luftwaffe fighter pilots. He and some of his crew parachuted out of the burning plane. Five crew members died. They were: Top Turret Gunner Harvey Smith, Ball Turret Gunner Willard R Malwitz, Co Pilot Harold E White, Bombardier Jim Biggerstaff and Navigator Raymond Thurber.  By the time Donald jumped from the plane, his goggles and gloves were melted. His eyes were almost swollen shut from the intense heat and his hands were burned. The Dutch underground picked him up, hid him in a cave and nursed him back to traveling health. They transported him on the backs of bicycles from safe house to safe house. He eventually made it to Paris. He had been traveling with another officer flier, an Englishman, navigator Smith who spoke French and Spanish. Smith was on a bomber and parachuted out at night.  The underground kept them hid in a schoolhouse basement with eight other fliers. There they waited and were eventually moved to the fourth floor of an abandoned part of a church. It was two rooms with no heat, a toilet, and wash basin. It was a cold February. They had a straw tick on the floor with blankets to keep warm.  They decided to split up into pairs. Smith stayed with Donald since they were together since Belgium. It was February 26, 1944. They took refuge in a French farmers barn who claimed to be on our side. That farmer turned them into the Gestapo.  He was a P.O.W. at Stalag Lft 3 Sagan-Silesia Bavaria, then moved to Nuremberg Langwasser 49-11. He wasn't transported to the 2nd prison camp but made to march the long distance. Total time as P.O.W. was 18 months. He weighed 118lbs when he returned to the U.S. He had scars from malnutrition and bedbug bites. Even though he spoke German, the intense interrogation by the Germans traumatized him to the point he never spoke or acknowledged the language again. Once back in Wisconsin, he worked as a machinist for a forge company for a time then a taxi driver in Milwaukee.  He was held up and shot but survived. It wasn't long after that he moved to Florida with his two daughters.  Donald was a charismatic, intelligent, and humorous person.  Alcohol and cancer led to him passing too soon. He died 1/22/1985 at the age of 66.  He's buried Bay Pines National Cemetery. 

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 448th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: The Prodigal Son
  • Unit: 448th Bomb Group 712th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

17 May 1918 Was born in Carver, MN. Lived in South Milwaukee, WI

Died

22 January 1985 - 11 January 1944 Bay Pines V.A. Healthcare Center

Revisions

Date
ContributorKellyLF
Changes
Sources

Story given to me by his daughter. 

Date
ContributorKellyLF
Changes
Sources

Mine

Date
ContributorKellyLF
Changes
Sources

American Museum

Date
ContributorKellyLF
Changes
Sources

Donald C Schumann

Date
ContributorKellyLF
Changes
Sources

Donald C Schumann

Date
ContributorKellyLF
Changes
Sources

Donald C Schumann

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

MACR 2519 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Donald C Schumann: Gallery (1 items)