Ira Jerome Walter

Military
media-44963.png UPL 44963 Ira Walter ( Photo : Betty J. Walter, wife)

Betty J. Walter, wife

Object Number - UPL 44963 - Ira Walter ( Photo : Betty J. Walter, wife)

From page 119 of the book “Air Forces Escape & Evasion Society” – Turner Publishing Cy, Paducah, KY - 1992 :

"Inducted into U.S. Army Oct. 22, 1942 at Fort Thomas, Kentucky. Trained as armorer gunner at A.A.F.T.T.S. Buckley Field, Colorado and Tyndall Field, Florida. Was tail gunner in a B-17E Bomber with the 360th Squadron, 303rd BG, 8th A.F. Molesworth, England, WWII. His plane, Career Girl, was downed on its third mission Dec. 1, 1943. Parachuted to safety near Lille, France and evaded capture until Dec. 7th. Was sent to Stalag 17B near Krems, Austria. April 8, 1945, as P.O.W., was marched across Austria to Braunau, where he was liberated by the 13th Armored Division, US 3rd Army on May 2, 1945. Discharged November 17, 1945. Awarded American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, EAME Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Air Crew Member Badge, Air Medal and later the P.O.W. Medal. Retired from Norris Industries, tool and die supervisor, January 31, 1987. Married Betty K. Marshall Feb. 19, 1946; one daughter, Sandra Kay and three grandchildren. Died Oct. 9, 1990. Interred Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, CA." (His widow Betty passed away in June 2011).

Connections

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Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12051907 at enlistment, then O-671085
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37232879
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19082184 at enlistment, then O-678377
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18217123
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14101673 at enlistment, then O-679083
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Career Girl
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag 17b, Krems an der Donau, Austria

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Elm Grove, West Virginia, USA 27 January 1922

Enlisted

Clarksburg, West Virginia, USA 22 October 1942

Other

Evaded capture

1 December 1943 - 7 December 1943 with the help of French citizens. Arrested a few days later.

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Austria 7 December 1943 - 2 May 1945 Interned at Stalag XVIIB Braunau-Gneikendorf, near Krems, Austria. NARA WWII POW record : “Returned to Military Control 13 July 1945.”

Died

9 October 1990
Elm Grove, West Virginia, USA

Buried

Riverside, California, USA Riverside National Cemetery

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to Stalag 17B per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Updated the location of the "POW" event per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

Associated Media and chose key image

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 1325
NARA WWII Enlistment records
WWII Draft card
NARA WWII POW records
Veterans Affairs BIRLS death File
“Air Forces Escape & Evasion Society” – Turner Publishing Cy, Paducah, KY - 1992

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 1325

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Combat Chronology / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1325 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Ira Jerome Walter: Gallery (3 items)