Donald J Best
Military ROLL OF HONOURAssigned to 38FS, 55FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) fighter sweep to Augsburg in P-51D #44-72409 'Little Lulu', hit by flak strafing Bruenthal A/D. Crashed near Augsburg, 2nd Lt Best Killed in Action (KIA). 16-Apr-45. MACR 13941.
Awards: DFC, AM (4 OLC), PH.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Little Lulu
- Unit: 55th Fighter Group 38th Fighter Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Bures / RAF Wormingford / RFC Wormingford / USAAF Station 159 / Wormingford Landing Ground
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Crashed |
Eglin AFB, FL 32542, USA | 26 July 1944 | Mid Air Collision with towed Target Range 35, Eglin Field, Florida Cat 3 damage 2Lt Donald J Best, 26-Jul-44. AT-6C 41-32740 - 2130BU |
|
Based |
Wormingford | 23 March 1945 - 16 April 1945 | Assigned to 38FS, 55FG, 8AF USAAF. |
|
Died |
Augsburg, Germany | 16 April 1945 | Failed to Return (FTR) fighter sweep to Augsburg in P-51D 44-72409, hit by flak strafing Bruenthal A/D. Crashed near Augsburg, 2nd Lt Best Killed in Action (KIA). 16-Apr-45. MACR 13941. |
|
Born |
Indiana, USA | Son of Ernest L and Ella P Best. | |
|
Buried Killed in Action (KIA) |
|||
|
Enlisted |
Indiana, USA |
Revisions
Capitalized the words in the "Role/job" field to aid readability.
Added a "-" to the A/C tail # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
http://www.littlefriends.co.uk/search.php?searchString=72409&Submit=Sea…
https://www.fold3.com/page/529887446_donald_j%20best/details/
https://www.fold3.com/page/640690954_donald_j.%20best/details/
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=56652736
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/dbapi.asp?Pilot=Best%2C+Donald+J…
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 13941 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list