Louis Lafayette “Billie” Haltom was born on June 14, 1919, in Nacogdoches County, Texas. He was the son of Henry Grady Haltom and Callie Haltom. He was married to Patricia Haun. He graduated from Austin Demonstration High School in Nacogdoches, Texas, before attending Stephen F. Austin College. In 1940, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and received flight training at Muskogee, Randolph Field, and Kelly Field. During World War II, he served in both the European and South Pacific theaters, including France, Belgium, Germany, and Japan. He served as a First Lieutenant and pilot of B-17F #42-29767, nicknamed "Boot Hill," with the 338th Bombardment Squadron, 96th Bombardment Group (Heavy).

On May 17, 1943, the "Boot Hill" was shot down over Brittany, France, during a bombing mission against German military installations at Lorient. Piloted by 1Lt Louis Lafayette Haltom, the aircraft was among 20 bombers dispatched by the group that morning, departing England at approximately 8:30 a.m. Before reaching the French coast, the bomber encountered mechanical difficulties when the supercharger on its No. 3 engine failed. Despite the malfunction, Haltom continued the mission. During the bombing run, the aircraft was struck by German anti-aircraft fire, damaging its engines and right horizontal stabilizer. Although the crew managed to complete the bombing run, the damaged Flying Fortress began losing speed and altitude, gradually falling behind the main formation. While attempting to return to England, the isolated bomber came under attack from German Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighters, which inflicted further damage and wounded several crew members. With two engines severely damaged and the aircraft unable to maintain altitude, Haltom realized that reaching the English Channel was no longer possible and ordered his crew to bail out. The surviving airmen parachuted into the countryside of occupied Brittany before the crippled bomber crashed near Kéramprès, approximately four kilometers southeast of Plonévez-du-Faou in the Finistère department of France, at around 12:30 p.m. Of the eleven crew members aboard, two were killed, three were captured by German forces, and six successfully evaded capture with assistance from local French civilians and Resistance networks.

After ordering his crew to abandon the severely damaged B-17F "Boot Hill" on May 17, 1943, 1Lt Louis Lafayette Haltom successfully parachuted into occupied France. During his descent, two German fighter aircraft circled him but did not open fire. After landing, he reunited with Sgt Roy Martin, and the two received food, clothing, and directions from local French civilians. A young boy initially concealed them in a wooded area, but members of his family later moved the airmen to another location after revealing that the boy worked for the Germans. Later that evening, Haltom and Martin reunited with Sgts Niles Loudenslager, Herman Marshall, and Glen Wells. As the survivors began their escape, Haltom remained with the wounded Loudenslager while the others traveled separately. By mid-July, the six surviving evaders had reunited and continued their journey through occupied France with assistance from French civilians and Resistance networks, including Vladimir Bouryschkine, who helped Allied airmen evade German capture. Haltom eventually escaped through the Bourblanc and Bourgogne networks, crossing the Pyrenees into Spain before reaching Gibraltar. He successfully returned to the United Kingdom on August 21, 1943. He was later returned to Allied control and continued his military career. He reenlisted in 1945 and eventually retired from the United States Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1960, completing approximately twenty years of military service. Following his retirement, he worked in the oil industry in Wichita, Kansas, before entering government service with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), where he served as director of aid for the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, overseeing programs involving the construction of schools and roads. He later worked for the United States Postal Service and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing within the Department of the Treasury. LTC Haltom died on March 13, 2007, and is now buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA.

Sources of information: www.findagrave.com, www.rumboogiecrew.com, francecrashes39-45.net, rcmcollection.com