Donald R. Emerson

EMERSON, Donald Roswell Servicenumber: O-813134 Age: 21 Born: 17 May 1923, Joliette, Pembina County, North Dakota Hometown: Pembina County, North Dakota Family: Charles F. Emerson (father) Mabel A. (Roswell) Emerson (mother) James N. Emersn (brother) Eleanor M. Emerson (sister) John G. Emerson (brother) Sandra D. Merrill (Niece) Elinor Lindemann (Girlfriend) Rank: Captain Function: Pilot Regiment: - Battalion: - Division €“ Transport: - Company €“ Squadron: 336th Fighter Squadron Unit €“ Group: 4th Fighter Group Plane data: (Serialnumber, MACR, etc.) Serialnumber: 44-15054 Type: P-51D Destination: Kessel, Germany Date of death: 25 December 1944 Status: KIA Place of death: Sittard, The Netherlands Spot: Duustergats-Laherweg (Kolleberg) Awards: Air Medal with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart Gravenumber: Plot B, Row 15, Grave 21 Cemetery: American War Cemetery Margraten Biography: Emerson tribute Other information: Captain Donald R. Emerson enlisted at Fort Selling, Minnesota at June the 30th 1942. On Christmas Day, 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, he was heading back to base after a mission when he encountered six enemy planes. He managed to shoot down two of them, but as he crossed enemy lines flying close to the ground, he was struck by flak from anti-aircraft guns. He was buried the next day in a temporary military cemetery near Margraten, The Netherlands, where his body is now permanently interred in the American Military Cemetery. Victories: Air 4,5 and Ground 2,5. Source of information: Michel Beckers, Fourth Fighter Group, National WWII Memorial, Footnote, www.ancestry.com - Family Trees Photo source: Nico Leers, Michel Beckers/Fourth Fighter Group,