Donald K Willis

Military
media-18828.jpeg UPL 18828 Fl/Lt Donald K Willis 335th FS, 4th FG, 8AF USAAF, formerly 121 [Eagle] Sqn RAF spitfire pilot.

Object Number - UPL 18828 - Fl/Lt Donald K Willis 335th FS, 4th FG, 8AF USAAF, formerly 121 [Eagle] Sqn RAF spitfire pilot.

Joined RAFVR, assigned to 121S, transferred to 335FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF, transferred to VIII Fighter Command, 67th Fighter Wing Operations. Flew with the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group at Kingscliffe, evaluating new fighter-bomber tactics for the P-38.

Went down in P-38J-10-LO 42-68077 KI-X Evaded capture for 2 months, arriving back in England on 28 JUN 44. EVD (MACR 3616).

Remained in the Air Force until 1953. Worked for Global Van Lines and in the insurance business before becoming a quartermaster on a supertanker.

Connections

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Units served with

Personnel of the 364th Fighter Group stand in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 303rd Bomb Group at Honington in 1945. Printed caption on reverse: '71620 AC- Colgate Relay Crew of the 364th Fighter Group, 67th Fighter Wing at 8th AFS F-375, Honnington [sic], England. 5/7/45. U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Wing
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Combat organisation

Aircraft

A P-38 Lightning (KI-X, serial number 42-68077) of the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, flown by Lieutenant Donald Wills after crash landing in Holland, 10 April 1944.
  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Marion, IN, USA 7 August 1911 Born - 7 August 1911 Marion, IN

Other

Transferred

20 October 1942 - 22 April 1943 Transferred to 335th FS, 4th FG, 8th AF USAAF.

Other

Promoted

Debden, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11, UK 22 March 1943 Promoted to Captain.

Other

Shot down

10 April 1944 Went down in P-38J-10-LO 42-68077 KI-X. EVD (MACR 3616).

Other

Evaded EVD

10 April 1944 - 28 June 1944 Evaded capture for 2 months, arriving back in England on 28 JUN 44.

Died

Ocala, FL, USA 27 April 1977 Died - 27 April 1977 Ocala, FL.
Leavenworth, IN, USA

Other

Joined RAFVR

Canada Joined Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Other

Assigned

Kirton in Lindsey, Gainsborough, North Lincolnshire DN21, UK 20 October 1942 Assigned to 121 [Eagle] Sqn RAF.

Revisions

Date
Changes
Sources

Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia ;
- MACR 3616;
- Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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ContributorAl_Skiff
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ContributorAl_Skiff
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ContributorAl_Skiff
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ContributorAAM
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Donald K Willis: Gallery (4 items)