S/Sgt Donald A Davis was a Radio Operator and Gunner with the 321st Bomb Group; 447th Bomb Squadron; stationed in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO) during WW II. His Hometown was Los Angeles, California.

Wednesday, 12 January 1944

447th BS Mission Summary: (Ops Order 185/mission 184) Group Mission # 186: 6 of our ships took part in a raid on the Isoletta Dam, Italy. Flak was very heavy with results that the formation was broken up and bombing very poor. Ship #210 piloted by Lt. Vincent went down over the target when a direct hit was made on the right wing which caused the gas tank to explode thereby knocking off the right wing and pieces of the tail. Two parachutes were seen to open. Members of the crew were: 1st Lt. F.W. Vincent, pilot; 1st Lt. J.E. Haeberle, co-pilot; S/Sgt. W.P. Franklin, bombardier; Sgt Wm. O’Loughlin, engineer; S/Sgt D.A. Davis, radio-operator; S/Sgt. Harold F. Schrader, turret-gunner; and Sgt. L.P. Hassett, photographer. This was the second ship of this squadron to be lost this far during January.

447th BS War Diary: Special Accounts: Six of our planes took part Jan. 12 in a raid, the objective being a dam near Isoletta, Italy. The target was a few miles behind the enemy lines and within range of their heavy anti-aircraft guns near the front. One minute before the target was reached intense, heavy and accurate flak was encountered by the formation and the flak continued until the formation was about four minutes away from the target.

The plane piloted by Lt. Vincent received a direct hit in the outer wing gas tank of the right wing. The wing collapsed and fell off when the tank exploded and the entire plane was engulfed in flames. The plane spiraled to the right, spun down and crashed to the ground. Two parachutes were seen floating down after the wreckage. The crew was as follows: 1st Lt Fred W. Vincent, pilot; 1st Lt. John H. Haeberle, co-pilot; S/Sgt W.P. Franklin, bombardier; S/Sgt D.A. Davis, radio-gunner; Sgt. William O’Loughlin, engineer; S/Sgt. Harold F. Schrader, turret gunner; Sgt. Leo P. Hassett, photographer.

The intensity and accuracy of the flak caused the formation to scatter somewhat and the bombing results as shown by the available photographs were poor. The camera in the third flight went down with Lt. Vincent’s plane so the photographic coverage was not complete but no hits on the dame were observed by the crews participating in the raid.

Lt. E.D. Langston who was in the same flight with Lt. Vincent and in the element behind his got a good view of the plane when it was hit. He reported that parts of the tail of the ship fell off also when it started down. He saw the two chutes open but was unable to tell what part of the plane they came from.

The flak was of the tracking variety rather than barrage. Apparently the enemy gunners were singling out elements and concentrating their fire on the selected element, following it all the way into and away from the target. Lt. Vincent’s plane was about two minutes away from the target when it was hit. The loss is the second for the squadron in this first month of 1944.

447th BS: Extracts from Missing Air Crew Report # 1837:

A/C No. 41-13210 “Buckeye Cannon Ball” (MACR-1837 - shot down by flak after target)

P Vincent, Frederick W., III, 2Lt - MIA, POW

CP Haeberle, John H., 1Lt - MIA, POW

N None

B Franklin, Willie P., S/Sgt - MIA, POW for 16 days, escaped and RTD 25 Jun 44

E O’Loughlin, William M., Sgt - MIA, KIA

R Davis, Donald A., S/Sgt - MIA, KIA

G Schrader, Harold F., S/Sgt - MIA, KIA

F Hassett, Leo P., Sgt - MIA, KIA

Eyewitness Account: Schwartz, Arthur (NMI), Sgt, engineer-gunner, 447th BS

447th BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (M) AAF

Office of the Operations Officer

A.P.O. 520

360.33-Vincent, Frederick W. III (O) and crew. January 17, 1944

SUBJECT: Missing Air Crew Report.

TO : Headquarters, Army Air Forces, Washington, D. C. (Thru Channels)

On January 12, 1944, I was flying as tail gunner in plane no. 930 (42-53371 “Death Wind”) with Lt. Anderson as pilot. We were plane #3, 2nd element, 2nd flight. Lt. Vincent was pilot of the plane which occupied the second position, 1st element and the second flight.

I did not see the plane get hit, catch fire or explode, as I was lying in the tail and it was impossible to see it. When I first saw the plane it was spinning downward and we had pulled ahead of it. I saw four parachutes already open and dropping normally.

ARTHUR SCHWARTZ, 13152522, Sergeant.

Dated January 12, 1944

++++++

Eyewitness Account: Bartkus, Ernest F., S/Sgt, radio-gunner, 447th BS

447th BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (M)

321st BOMBARDMENT GROUP (M)

A.P.O. 520

360.33-Vincent, Frederick W. III (O) and crew. January 17, 1944

SUBJECT: Missing Air Crew Report.

TO : Headquarters, Army Air Forces, Washington, D. C. (Thru Channels)

On January 12, 1944, I was flying as Radio Operator-Gunner in Airplane No. 538 (A/C No. 41-30538 “Shad Rack You Done Crapped Again”) with Lt. Thomas, David W. as pilot. Our plane was #1 in the first element and the second flight. Lt. Vincent in plane no. 210 (41-13210 “Buckeye Cannon Ball”) was in the second position, first element, and second flight.

Immediately after dropping our bombs and after a little evasive action, I happened to be looking out the right waist gun port and saw Lt. Vincent’s plane on fire. The fire was centered in the left hand side about where the bomb-bay begins. Immediately after seeing the fire, I saw an explosion in the locality of the fire.

After the explosion, the plane nosed up just a little and then banked off behind us therefore disappearing from my view. I did not see the plane again.

ERNEST F. BARTKUS, 31142674, Staff Sergeant.

++++++

Eyewitness Account: Franklin, Willie P., S/Sgt, bombardier-gunner, 447th BS

25 June 1944

Aircraft was hit by intense flak. FRANKLIN and VINCENT were blown out of the craft by an explosion and the ship immediately burst into flames. VINCENT’S chute was only other seen during Source’s (Sgt Franklin) descent. He saw the plane crash into the earth. Jerries informed that VINCENT, who had been badly wounded, had been picked up immediately by Germans and had been taken to a German hospital.

INDIVIDUAL CASUALTY QUESTIONNAIRE

It is impossible to give exact detail on all crew members. The ship was hit directly in the center by flak and blew up in the air. All of us in the front of the ship, Franklin, Bombardier: Haeberle, Co-Pilot: and Myself (Sgt Franklin) are all alive. One of the men from the back of the ship, probably Davis or Hassett (It was easiest for them to leave) jumped and I saw his chute break into flames on the way down. One of the others bailed out successfully to die next to my co-pilot on the ground full of shrapnel. The latter I presume to be Hassett as his folks write that they have located his grave in Italy.

Schrader, Harold F. I am presuming that he went down with the ship as it is difficult to get out of the upper turret which he was operating.

O’Loughlin, William M. He too I am presuming went down with the ship as the tail of the B-25 is too small to maneuver in.

I have written to all of my men’s families and the Hassett family were the only ones to answer.

++++++++++