I see this fellow often, about once a month, during my tours as a volunteer at the US Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. He is Donald Emerson just down from a mission flying his P-51 fighter plane over Germany during World War II. This photo was taken in November 1944. He was shot down and killed by ground fire about a month later on Christmas Day 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. The look on his face, well, I can't explain it, but it is haunting. He was 21 years old.
A niece wrote a good book about him, "Donald's Story." I recommend it. I learned from the book he is buried at a cemetery in Holland. One day I hope to visit his grave as well as the one of my uncle, Vernon Du Val. Vernon who was from Tulsa, Oklahoma, was killed during the battle for Normandy, I think like D-Day plus 13. He'd already been wounded when he went back into battle only to be killed again. What a tragedy war is for so many people, truly.
Donald Emerson is my great Uncle. Of course, he died long before I was born, but yes, his loss at age 21, shot down at the Battle of the Bulge, was deeply felt by my mother's family (especially his sister, my grandmother), all their lives. He was kind of a golden boy, loved by all, a humble North Dakota farm boy turned fighter pilot. Thank you for mentioning my aunt's wonderful book, and for your remembrance of Donald.
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