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Personal info

Full name
ZAHLER, Donald Carl
Date of birth
10 January 1924
Age
20
Place of birth
Antwerp, Jefferson County, New York
Hometown
Oswego County, New York

Military service

Service number
12198791
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Tail Gunner
Unit
401st Bombardment Squadron,
91st Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
6 March 1944
Place of death
East slope of the Loewendorf Hill
Trebbin, south of Berlin, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 8 26

Immediate family

Members
Gottlieb Zahler (father)
Ida L. Zahler (mother)
Edward G. Zahler (brother)
Alice I. Zahler (sister)
Harold H. Zahler (brother)
Lillian B. Zahler (sister)
Herman E. Zahler (brother)
Andy Zahler (brother)
Erwin Zahler Sr. (brother)
Helen Zahler (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-31869
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Hell N'High Water
Destination: Erkner, Germany
Mission: Bombardment
MACR: 2899

More information

S/Sgt Donald C. Zahler graduated from Antwerp High school in 1941 and was employed at Curtiss-Wright Company.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on 21 October 1942 at Buffalo, New York.

The plane crashed at the east slope of the Loewendorf Hill, 1 mile west of Trebbin, Germany. S/Sgt Zahler and Robert F. Perkins died in the crash, the other crew members were captured.

S/Sgt Zahler is remembered at Woodlawn Cemetery in Sandy Creek, Oswego County, New York with a memorial marker.

Source of information: Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.91stbombgroup.com, www.syracuse.com, WWII Draft Card

Photo source: www.syracuse.com, www.fold3.com, www.91stbombgroup.com, Peter Schouteten, www.findagrave.com