Laurence Doyle enlisted in January 1942 and was stationed at Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia being sent overseas. He was married to Genevieve Doyle. Sgt Laurence E. Doyle was the tail gunner of the B-17 42-97879 when it took off from Station 121 in Bassingbourn, UK, on a mission to bomb the German airfield in Chartres. The plane suffered a direct hit from flak at 1453 hours. With two engines on fire the crew tried to bail out, but only Sgt Doyle was able to jump. The others were trapped inside the aircraft. The bomb-laden aircraft exploded in midair at 1500 feet. Sgt Doyle landed safely but was captured by the Germans and sent to Stalag Luft 4 in Gross-Tychow. On his third escape attempt he managed to rejoin US forces at Apenberg, Germany. He was sent back to the US in late April 1945.