First Lieutenant Donald Decker was flying a bombing run to Helmstedt/Oschersleben, Germany when his plane, a B-24J Liberator named Big Fat Butter Fly, was lost with all hands. He was part of 66 Squadron, 44th Bomb Group. After the war, Decker's remains were repatriated along with the rest of his crew and buried in a common grave at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky. His name is listed on his grandparents' gravestone in Lancaster, MA.
See his Memorial # 44278589 at the National Cemetery in Louisville, KY
Military funeral services for First Lieutenant Donald Rogers Decker were held November 8, 1951, at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, Ky., and the remains of the eight men in the plane of which he was pilot were brought home for re-interment. Lieutenant Decker was born Nov. 26, 1920, in Brooklyn, N.Y. He was baptized in 1934. His education was received at the Brooklyn church school, the Greater New York Academy, and Atlantic Union College. In September 1941 he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the following year he was graduated as an officer. His overseas service began Jan. 1, 1943. In March he joined the U. S. Air Force in England. He was killed February 20, 1944, over Belgium. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross, an Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, and the Purple Heart.
His military grave is here: http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=44278589
Find A Grave contributor Alain Rosseels adds the following: "Crashed on 02/20/1944 behind the railwaystation off Ressaix In Belgium , shot down by Lt Lange Friederich. 6./JG 26 15H05 B-24 42-64166 44BG/66BS."
See his Memorial # 44278589 at the National Cemetery in Louisville, KY
Military funeral services for First Lieutenant Donald Rogers Decker were held November 8, 1951, at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, Ky., and the remains of the eight men in the plane of which he was pilot were brought home for re-interment. Lieutenant Decker was born Nov. 26, 1920, in Brooklyn, N.Y. He was baptized in 1934. His education was received at the Brooklyn church school, the Greater New York Academy, and Atlantic Union College. In September 1941 he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the following year he was graduated as an officer. His overseas service began Jan. 1, 1943. In March he joined the U. S. Air Force in England. He was killed February 20, 1944, over Belgium. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross, an Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, and the Purple Heart.
His military grave is here: http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=44278589
Find A Grave contributor Alain Rosseels adds the following: "Crashed on 02/20/1944 behind the railwaystation off Ressaix In Belgium , shot down by Lt Lange Friederich. 6./JG 26 15H05 B-24 42-64166 44BG/66BS."
First Lieutenant Donald Decker was flying a bombing run to Helmstedt/Oschersleben, Germany when his plane, a B-24J Liberator named Big Fat Butter Fly, was lost with all hands. He was part of 66 Squadron, 44th Bomb Group. After the war, Decker's remains were repatriated along with the rest of his crew and buried in a common grave at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky. His name is listed on his grandparents' gravestone in Lancaster, MA.
See his Memorial # 44278589 at the National Cemetery in Louisville, KY
Military funeral services for First Lieutenant Donald Rogers Decker were held November 8, 1951, at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, Ky., and the remains of the eight men in the plane of which he was pilot were brought home for re-interment. Lieutenant Decker was born Nov. 26, 1920, in Brooklyn, N.Y. He was baptized in 1934. His education was received at the Brooklyn church school, the Greater New York Academy, and Atlantic Union College. In September 1941 he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the following year he was graduated as an officer. His overseas service began Jan. 1, 1943. In March he joined the U. S. Air Force in England. He was killed February 20, 1944, over Belgium. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross, an Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, and the Purple Heart.
His military grave is here: http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=44278589
Find A Grave contributor Alain Rosseels adds the following: "Crashed on 02/20/1944 behind the railwaystation off Ressaix In Belgium , shot down by Lt Lange Friederich. 6./JG 26 15H05 B-24 42-64166 44BG/66BS."
See his Memorial # 44278589 at the National Cemetery in Louisville, KY
Military funeral services for First Lieutenant Donald Rogers Decker were held November 8, 1951, at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, Ky., and the remains of the eight men in the plane of which he was pilot were brought home for re-interment. Lieutenant Decker was born Nov. 26, 1920, in Brooklyn, N.Y. He was baptized in 1934. His education was received at the Brooklyn church school, the Greater New York Academy, and Atlantic Union College. In September 1941 he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the following year he was graduated as an officer. His overseas service began Jan. 1, 1943. In March he joined the U. S. Air Force in England. He was killed February 20, 1944, over Belgium. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross, an Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, and the Purple Heart.
His military grave is here: http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=44278589
Find A Grave contributor Alain Rosseels adds the following: "Crashed on 02/20/1944 behind the railwaystation off Ressaix In Belgium , shot down by Lt Lange Friederich. 6./JG 26 15H05 B-24 42-64166 44BG/66BS."
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