Donald A Waters

Military

Damaged by flak and crashed in Switzerland on 7/13/44 in B-17 'Cahepit' #42-31074, Interned (INT).



Don was on his 5th mission - to Munich- when they hit problems after the bomb run; No 2 engine gave out and they were losing fuel. Don accordingly dropped the B -17 out of formation and headed south into Switzerland. Surrounded by mountains and in deteriorating conditions they landed with great difficulty on a short strip used for gliders. They skidded for several hundred yards and the plane 'Cahepit' burst into flames. The crew were interned for some five months.

Connections

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Units served with

Three airmen of the 100th Bomb Group, Lieutenant Kenneth Menzie, Lieutenant Donald Strout and Lieutenant Norman Scott, plan the route they will take during the next mission in their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30380). Image stamped on reverse: 'Reviewed and passed U.S. Army 23 Aug 1943 Press Censor E.T.O. U.S.A.' [stamp]'. Passed for publication 23 August 1943 INTLD 16 General Section Press Censorship Bureau '[stamp], 'Associated Press' [stamp] and '280035.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reve

100th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

42-31074

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Cahepit
  • Unit: 100th Bomb Group 350th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Long Beach, California, USA

Other

Interned (INT)

Switzerland 13 July 1944

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added some punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid readability.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Changed the location of the "Interned (INT)" event to Switzerland per info in the "Summary biography".
Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 7501 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database