Hess, Donald W. In Memory Of Lt. Donald W. Hess ~ WW II VETERAN ~
1915-1944 Once buried in Belgium. SON OF MR. & MRS. A. G. HESS OF SIOUX CITY. --Remains buried in Arlington Nat'l. Cemetery Oct. 26, 2011
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(Sioux City Journal Oct. 22, 2011)) -- Remains of a serviceman, whose plane was shot down over Germany in 1944, were identified and the U.S. Dept. of Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel office announced that the remains of 2nd Lt. Donald W. Hess will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington, D. C.
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(Obituary 1944)
Lt. Hess, 28, was born in Sioux City . He was a graduate of Central High School, Univedrsit of Iowa, and the school of Southern Methodist University of Dallas, Tx.

He was associated with his father, A. G. Hess, in Sioux Cty and served as assistant county attorney for a short time in 1942. In the susmmer of 1942, he enlisted in the Air Corps. He was called for service Feb. 1, 1943, and received his commission in October of that year. He went overseas in Feb. 1944 as navigator of a B-24 Liberator. He was reported Misssing in Action over Germany on April 29, 1944, His plane crashed near East Meitze, Germany, and was killed on that date. Information came from the German government through the International Red Cross and transmitted to his parents and widow on July 4.

According to a POW/Missing Personnel Office news release, German forces buried the remains of three of the men from that plane around the time of the crash. In 1946, those remains were exhumed and reburied in a U.S. military ceremony in Belgium. A German citizen in 2003 located the crash site and recovered human remains. In 2005 , an American recovery team excavated the sight and gathered additional remains, military equipment and metal identification tags for four of the crew members. The team completed the excavation in 2007 and found additional evidence that helped confirm the crew's identity. Forensic identification tools and other evidence were used to identify the remains.

According to a story in the Sioux City Journal's archives, he was a graduate of Sioux City Central High School, and after completing law school, he practiced with his father, A. G. Hess, in the firm of Hess and Hess in Sioux City. Donald Hess served as an assistant Woodbury County attorney for about 5 months in 1942. A gravestone in his honor stands in the Ida Grove, Iowa, cemetery where his parents are buried.

He was married to Mary Louise Van Sickle of Waukegan, Illinois, Sept. 2, 1939.

He is a grandson of W. S. Young and the late Mr. & Mrs. J. L. Hess and a nephew of Mrs. James Lipton, Sr. and Will H. Young.

Survivors include his wife. He had a daughter Lynn and a sister, Dorothy Hess.

A gravestone is "in his memory" in the Ida Grove Cemetery where his parents are also buried. "In memory of Lt. Donald W. Hess,World War II Veteran, buried in Belgium, born 1915, died 1944."
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Crew of #42-110105
2nd/Lt. Robert R. Bishop Pilot MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Robert R. Bishop Pilot MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Robert R. Bishop Pilot MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Arthur W. Luce Co Pilot MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Arthur W. Luce Co Pilot MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Donald W. Hess Navigator MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Donald W. Hess Navigator MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Thomas Digman Jr. Bombardier MIA/KIA
2nd/Lt. Thomas Digman Jr. Bombardier MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. James T. Blong Engineer MIA/KIA
Sgt. James T. Blong Engineer MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Joseph J. Karaso Radio Op. MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Joseph J. Karaso Radio Op. MIA/KIA
Sgt. Michael A. Chiodo A. Radio Op. MIA/KIA
Sgt. Michael A. Chiodo A. Radio Op. MIA/KIA
Sgt. Michael A. Chiodo A. Radio Op. MIA/KIA
Sgt. John J. Harringer Jr. Gunner MIA/KIA
Sgt. John P. Bonnassiolle Gunner MIA/KIA
Sgt. John P. Bonnassiolle Gunner MIA/KIA
Sgt. John P. Bonnassiolle Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Ralph L. McDonald Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Ralph L. McDonald Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Ralph L. McDonald Gunner MIA/KIA