Walter Edward Payne

Military

Captain Walter Payne was a Pilot in the 386th Bomb Group. He was piloting B-26 # 42-96184 on his 64th mission on 6 August 1944 when it was hit by Flak and crashed into the sea off Trouville-sur-Mer, France. Gunner Franklin Swanson was killed and the five others, including Captain Payne were made Prisoners of War (POW) - Missing Air Crew Report - MACR 7875.

A Dallas, Texas resident, Walter Payne was the son of Dallas Postmaster John H. Payne. This is an article about his father, published in the Texas press on 27 April 1945 : “All Dallas relatives of servicemen in enemy prison camps receive mail from them by special delivery instead of waiting for the postman to make his regular round. It came about like this: On Sunday two weeks before last Christmas, Postmaster John Howard Payne of Dallas got a letter from his son, Capt. Walter E. Payne, in a German prison camp. It was the first word Mr. and Mrs Payne received that their boy was safe after his plane was shot down over enemy territory. An alert clerk, J. T. Holland, had spotted the letter at the post office and expedited its delivery by putting a special stamp on it. "We were so happy that I decided to pay for sending all prisoner-of-war letters by special delivery during the Christmas holidays," Payne said. He paid for sending 126 letters during the two-week period. Expressions of gratitude poured in. One mother asked to reimburse him. Payne suggested to her and to others that they instead contribute to a fund set up at the post office for expediting letters to other parents. Since then, more than a thousand have been handled in this manner, and the postmaster has a backlog of more than a thousand stamps contributed for future use on such mail.”

Connections

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Units served with

Lieutenant James T. Wilson and Lieutenant Robert J. Owen of the 386th Bomb Group in the cockpit of their B-26 Marauder. Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published.' [stamp], 'Ministry of Information 19 Aug 1943.' [stamp] nand '279545.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'AT THE US MARAUDERS BASE. The B-26 Marauders, American super medium bombers are operating now from bases in Britain. This series of pictures shows various scenes at the airfield where the ground crew and the fliers work together
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Ninth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 386th Bomb Group 554th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12139321
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Armorer Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: No 3 Combat Crew Replacement Center 386th Bomb Group 554th Bomb Squadron Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (No 3 Combat Crew Replacement Center)
  • Service Numbers: 14150971
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator / Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
  • Unit: 386th Bomb Group 554th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Enlisted

Dallas, Texas, United States 2 June 1941 in the Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Barth, Germany 6 August 1944 Captured in France after landing in parachute, he was sent to Stalag Luft 1 in Barth, Germany. NARA WWII POW records : “Returned to Allied Military control 21/6/1945.”

Born

Texas, United States the son of John Howard and Lucille (Woodward) Payne
Dallas, Texas, United States

Revisions

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 7875
NARA WWII Enlistment records
NARA WWII POW records