Donald Tunstall
MilitaryLeft to right, top row:
Col. Frank Armstrong of Nashville, Tenn., Group Commander;
Lt. R.J. Salitrink of Alhambra, Calif., Navigator;
Lt. Frank Taussi of Glendale, Calif., Bombardier;
Sgt. Joseph E. Collette of N. Chelmsford, Mass., Engineer;
Staff Sgt. Charles D. Hill of Baltimore, Maryland, Waist Gunner;
Staff Sgt. Donald Tunstall of Darlington, S. Carolina, Tail Gunner;
Staff Sgt. Raymond H. Erikson of Chicago, Ill., Ball Turret Gunner;
Tech. Sgt. Robert A. Siavage of Eynon, Penn., Radio Operator;
Major Claude E. Putnam of Jacksboro, Tex., Co-Pilot.
TET 254769. 1-2-43-F.'
On reverse: Associated Press, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps]. Roger Freeman Collection
Last name misspelt. Spelt as Eriksen, whereas it has been spelt above as Erikson. New name added to the list after the spelling had been solved
Donald Tunstall flew on the Earl C. Tunnell crew. He flew the first raid to Germany (Wilhelmshaven) on 27 January 1943 with Col. Frank A. Armstrong.
Shot down 6 March 1943 in B-17F #42-5378, 306BG/367BS while serving as Tail Gunner. The aircraft had developed an oil leak in no. 3 engine over the Channel, but oil pressure stayed steady so the pilots continued their mission toward the submarine pens at Lorient, France. According to Strong, fighters attacked as this plane was dropping back due to the earlier oil leak and the fact this Group was in the low Squadron. When engine 4 quit, bailout was ordered. Prisoner of War (POW) in Stalag XVIIB Braunau-Gneikendorf, near Krems, Austria.
Connections
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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: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-726184
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 19075295 at enlistment, then O-664296
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36219920 at enlistment, then O-726143
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13050532
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 13025901
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 306th Bomb Group 367th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 6 March 1943
- Date: 27 January 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Bedford
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Darlington, Darlington County, South Carolina, United States | 28 September 1922 | |
Enlisted |
18 February 1942 | Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina | |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Krems an der Donau, Austria | 6 March 1943 | Interned at Stalag XVIIB Braunau-Gneikendorf, near Krems, Austria. NARA WWII POW record : “Returned to Military Control 30 June 1945.” |
Died |
9 October 2012 | Darlington, South Carolina | |
Darlington, South Carolina | |||
Buried |
Donald Tunstall rests at the Grove Hill Cemetery in Darlington, South Carolina |
Revisions
NARA WWII Enlistment records
WWII Draft card
Pages 40 and 41 at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/142694377 (NARA)
Page 31 of AV 51/43 at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/18238537 (NARA)
NARA WWII POW records
VA Gravesite Locator
Lee Cunningham 30-Jul-2015. Added decoration and POW event per National Archives Records Administration (NARA) WWII POW database; Made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data; Edited Summary Biogtaphy wiht A/C model letter and unit association and crew position per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.
306th BG Association Directory, 1 September 1999 Edition; Roll of Honor Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop & Hey p. 89, First Over Germany by Russell Strong pp. 65 & 73-4, Combat Crews pg. 4 & 144, / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://www.306bg.org/crewphotos/Crew%20Pictures%20Adam-Rector/Crew%20Pi…