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Personal info

Full name
STANDARD, Donald Leon
Date of birth
20 June 1921
Age
22
Place of birth
Creal Springs, Williamson County, Illinois
Hometown
Union County, Illinois

Military service

Service number
O-738043
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Co-Pilot
Unit
558th Bombardment Squadron,
387th Bombardment Group, Medium
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
12 April 1944
Place of death
North Sea, near Dunkirk

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Tablets of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Warren J. Standard (father)
Dimple (Brogdon) Standard (mother)
Guy W. Standard (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-107581
Data
Type: B-26-C45
Destination: Dunkirk, France
Mission: Operational
MACR: 3745

More information

I was along as cameraman in Lt Felker's ship. We had just finished our bomb run, and I was at the left waist gun window when I first saw the lead ship going down in a dive. The right wing had come off and the plane was spinning down. I kept the falling plane in my camera. The tail came off three seconds after I spotted the falling ship. Only one chute was seen to open by the camera. The plane was seen to crash about a half mile outside of the harbor. The chute was last seen going inland directly over the target.

Statement from Benjamin E. Mann, 1st Lt, Air Corps.
The only survivor, 2nd Lt John R. Mc Ghee was captured near Dunkirk on 12 April 1944 and delivered to the Army Hospital Calmette (Lille) on 13 April 1944.
The body of S/Sgt Valentine G. Frisz was recovered on 12 April 1944 on the beach of Dunkirk and buried on 14 April 1944 at the Community Grave Yard at Dunkirk.
The body of 1st Lt Frederick J. Busch floated ashore at Nordwijk at Sea at 2055hrs on 10 June 1944 and he was buried on 12 June 1944 on the Local Cemetery Nordwijk at Sea.

Source of information: Astrid van Erp, Ralph Peeters, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - One WorldTree

Photo source: Astrid van Erp, www.newspapers.com - St. Louis Post-Dispatch