Walter Armstrong Duer

Military

Shot down over occupied France on 11 May 1944 in B-24H #41-29468 'Peg O' My Heart'. After bailing out, Lt Walter Duer landed near Coulonges-les-Sablons, Orne, France, about 15 kilometers to the Northwest of Nogent-le-Rotrou, Eure-et-Loir Department, France. He soon met Lt Colonel Beirne Lay Jr and both men were helped by French citizens until taken in charge by the underground. They were last helped and sheltered near the village of Mazangé, near Vendôme, Loir-et-Cher Department, France, from where they were led on 12 August 1944 to an US Armored unit liberating the region. Both were flown back by a C-47 to England where they landed on 15 August 1944. Retired from USAFR in 1960. See the story of his evasion at https://www.evasioncomete.be/fduerwa.html

Connections

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

Units served with

People

Robert W Peterson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37295299
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Alfred H Richter

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36008263 and O-724355
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Frank Vratny

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-743141
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

John P Watson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13057737
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Donald E Wilson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 487th Bomb Group 838th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-789848
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Aircraft

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

19 September 1921

Enlisted

11 September 1942 as a Private

Other

Evaded

11 May 1944 - 12 August 1944 Escape & Evasion Report at http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-940.pdf

Died

25 December 2005

Born

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added " / " in the "Role/job" field as a separator to aid readability.

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Added website address for evasioncomete

Date
ContributorPaulWebber
Changes
Sources

Escape and Evasion Report of Walter Duer at US National Archives: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/5555594

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

NARA WWII Enlistment records.
MACR (Missing Air Crew Report) # 4750.
Walter DUER’s page at the COMET evasion network website’s page http://www.evasioncomete.org/fduerwa.html
Escape & Evasion Report at http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-940.pdf
SSDI (Social Security Death Index)

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

NARA WWII Enlistment records.
MACR (Missing Air Crew Report) # 4750.
Walter DUER’s page at the COMET evasion network website’s page http://www.evasioncomete.org/fduerwa.html
Escape & Evasion Report at http://media.nara.gov/nw/305270/EE-939.pdf
SSDI (Social Security Death Index)

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4750 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / self, MACR 4750