Memorial

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S/Sgt Donald F. Claeys enlisted in Detroit, Michigan, on 16 October 1941. He trained at the Greenville Army Flying School.

Report of the pilot, 1st Lt Lamar J. Dunn, who was one of the surviving crew members: "Just after we dropped our bombs, we got a hit which knocked out the windshield. Ten or fifteen seconds later, we received a direct hit in the vicinity of the flight deck. As soon as we were hit, fire broke out in the flight deck, about the left half was on fire. Controls were out and there was no rudder, elevator, or aileron control. I was unable to contact the crew by inter-phone. I pushed the bailout signal and held it for a few seconds. I glanced at my altimeter, and we had reached approximately 1,200 feet. At that time, the ship came out on almost an even keel. During this time, I hadn't contacted any members of the crew. I was not aware of what was happening in any part of the ship, only in the pilot compartment. The next thing I remember, I was falling through space. I opened my chute. There were two chutes below mine."

Two crew members bailed out and were taken prisoner, nine were killed.