Walter Joseph Degutis
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Image courtesy of Marie-José Becholtz, whose mother tended Degutis' grave during his temporary burial in the Netherlands
Object Number - UPL 55170 - Staff Sergeant Walter J Degutis, 447th Bomb Group
Walter Degutis was born in Amsterdam, New York in 1915. He graduated from High School in 1934 and went on to work as a creeler at the Mohawk carpet mill playing basketball and tennis in his spare time.
Degutis enlisted in the US Army in November 1940, and transferred to the Army Air Force in July 1942. After completing his gunnery training he was sent to the UK in May 1944. Degutis was killed in action on 27 June 1944, his B-17 44-6027 was shot down by flak and crashed near Jahnsheim.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 709th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 709th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 709th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 709th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 447th Bomb Group 709th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 709th Bomb Squadron 447th Bomb Group
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Amsterdam, New York | 19 October 1915 | Son of Motiejus and Karolina Degutis. |
|
Enlisted |
Albany, NY | 27 November 1940 | Enlisted Albany, New York |
|
Died |
Jahnshain, Germany | 29 June 1944 | |
|
Buried |
Saint Casimir Cemetery Amsterdam, Montgomery County, NY | Saint Casimir Cemetery Amsterdam, Montgomery County, New York | |
|
Other Gunnery Training |
Las Vegas, Nevada | 3 November 1943 | Gunnery Training - Las Vegas, Nevada. |
Revisions
Brought together information from duplicate record to include details from MACR 6730 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database. Further information from Find a Grave, Headstone application, newspaper clipping pertaining to burial of Degutis provided by Marie-José Becholtz
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 6730
