Assigned to 322BS, 91BG, 8AF USAAF. 26 x missions. Failed to Return (FTR) Berlin in B-17 43-38234 'Easy Does It' 5-Dec-44; flak hit #3 and blew off cowl, dropped away from formation and crashed near Templin. Don stayed at the controls to ensure his crew were able to bale out, prior to his successful escape from the stricken aircraft. Upon landing he fractured both ankles, putting evasion beyond his control. Prisoner of War (POW).

 

Awards: AM (3OLC), POW, EAME (3BS), WWII Victory.

 

From Carl W Hall Funeral Services Inc.

 

Donald Ray Freer Obituary

 

Donald Ray Freer, 101, passed away Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at Washington Square Nursing Home, Warren, Ohio.

 

He was born on September 6, 1922, in Warren, Ohio, the youngest son of the late Floyd Freer and Julia Barnes Freer.

 

A 1941 graduate of Warren G. Harding High School and a longtime Howland resident, Don was commissioned in early 1944 as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corps, later receiving a promotion to First Lieutenant. He joined the 322nd Squadron of the 91st Bomb Group as a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot and completed 26 combat missions from his base at Bassingbourn, England.

 

While stationed overseas, Don wrote faithfully to his family back home. In letters to his beloved mother, he would often ask how the Ohio State Buckeyes fared in their most recent football games.

 

During his tour of duty, Don flew on 11 different B-17s. His first combat mission was as co-pilot to Lt. Arthur Ernst on “Time’s A Wastin” on August 24, 1944. The majority of his missions were on “Stinky,” which bore the nose art of an adorable, but mischievous, little skunk.

 

His final mission was on December 5, 1944, on “Easy Does It.” Don was piloting “Easy Does It” when it was shot down by anti-aircraft artillery over Berlin. One engine was completely destroyed and only one good engine remained. Don fought to control the aircraft to allow his crew to safely parachute from the plane. Unfortunately, two crew members perished. Don was the last to jump, at a height of about 20,000 feet. As he descended through the clouds, he narrowly avoided the burning aircraft as it plunged past him toward the earth. He was almost hit by the fighter plane that accompanied his bomber on its dive, as well as a few German planes. He finally landed in a forest of snow-covered pine trees, dislocating both of his knees and injuring his feet. When he regained consciousness, he later said, the forest looked like it had been decorated for Christmas. The trees were covered with aluminum strips, which had been used to scatter radar.

 

Don was taken captive in the town of Templin, narrowly escaping a public hanging due to the timely intervention of the local constable. He was reunited with his surviving crew and entered Stalag Luft 1 as a prisoner of war on Christmas Eve, 1944. He remained a POW in Barth, Germany, near the Baltic Sea, until liberation on April 28, 1945.

 

After the conclusion of the war, Don attended The Ohio State University on the G.I. Bill and earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering. Following graduation, he resumed working for Packard Electric, where he met his wife, Mary. They wed on February 11, 1956, and were married for nearly 68 years.

 

Don became heavily involved in the aerospace industry at the height of the Cold War and Space Race. He worked for Rocketdyne, a division of North American Aviation, which was integral to the U.S. military missile defense program as well as the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo NASA programs. He was instrumental in testing and developing Jupiter rockets and modified V-2 engines, engaging with leading scientists such as Wernher von Braun.

 

During his management tenure with Rocketdyne, Don and his family lived in Huntsville, Alabama, Canoga Park, California, and Cape Canaveral, Florida. He continued working for various defense contractors following the Space Race, later retiring to his hometown.

 

Don was a proud veteran in a military family. His grandfather was a Union soldier during the Civil War. Two of his brothers served during World War I, one in the Army, and one in the Marine Corps, and another brother served with the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division in World War II. Following his discharge from active duty in 1945, Don served in the Air Force Reserves until 1955. He was an active member of the 91st Bomb Group Memorial Association, the Mahoning Valley Chapter of Ex-POWs, and the 8th Air Force Association.

 

Don served his country and his community with dignity, loyalty, and grace. His intelligence, curiosity, and humor made him a gifted conversationalist and a frequent contributor to publications and discussions related to the 91st Bomb Group and World War II. He is featured in the documentary “Nose Art and Pin-Ups” (Whirlwind Productions, 2012), which explores how the personalization of wartime aircraft elevated the morale of the 8th Air Force during periods of heavy losses. At military reunions, Don was frequently the life of the party, with other attendees jostling to listen to his vivid and detailed recollections. After being in Don’s presence, listeners could never forget the sacrifices of veterans and the “Greatest Generation.”

 

In 2014, Don was honored at the Ernie Hall Aviation Museum in Howland with a celebration marking the 70th anniversary of his survival after being shot down in combat. A giant mural on the museum's hangar door depicts his plane, “Easy Does It.”

 

In 2017, at the age of 95, Don had the opportunity to fly in a B-17 once more when “Aluminum Overcast” visited the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport. He took great pleasure in attending air shows and encouraging subsequent generations of aviators.

 

Don inspired his granddaughter, LT Kristen Boye, to serve as a U.S. Naval Aviator and Helicopter Aircraft Commander (USN, VX-31 Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California). His granddaughter, Kayla Boye, is a writer, actor, and producer, and has focused much of her theatrical career on historic subjects. His son, Thomas Freer, recently retired and serves on the board of the 91st Bomb Group Memorial Association and has extensively documented Don’s military service through paintings and publications. His daughter, Susan Boye, has provided entertainment for many veterans functions and instilled the same love of learning into her 31-year career as a music educator. He shared his love of aviation with his son-in-law, Karl Boye, who is a captain with American Airlines.

 

In addition to his interests in aviation, technology, science, history, and current events, Don was an avid Ham Radio operator and electronics whiz. His family abided by the rule, “Don’t get him a gift if it doesn’t have a wire in it.” Books were the exception. He took great pride in developing his granddaughters’ love of literature.

 

Don loved playing golf and fishing on Mosquito Lake, near his childhood home. He and his wife, Mary, enjoyed spending their winters in Fort Myers, Naples, and Cocoa Beach, Florida, where he introduced his granddaughters to the wonders of space travel by observing shuttle launches from Cape Canaveral. He loved bringing his telescopes to the beach and stargazing across the ocean.  

 

He is survived by his wife, Mary E. Freer; daughter, Susan M. (Karl) Boye; son, Thomas M. Freer, all of Howland, Ohio; two granddaughters, Kayla Boye and LT Kristen Boye, and numerous nieces and nephews.

 

In addition to his parents, Don was preceded in death by his five brothers and four sisters.