Waldow Ernest Lee

Monuments

B-17 #42-102585 ‘The Betty L’ Monument

Crash of the B-17 'The Betty L' Plaque

Name:

Ernest Lee Waldow

Rank:

Staff Sergeant

Serial Number:

39327045

Unit:

534th Bomber Squadron, 381st Bomb Group

Date of Death:

1991-01-01

State:

Oregon

Cemetery:

Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon

Plot:

Section D

Row:

Grave:

Site 333

Decoration:

Comments:

Ernest Lee Waldow was born on December 29, 1924, in Portland, Oregon. He was the husband of Barbara Ann Vandevert Waldow.

Ernest served in the 534th Bomber Squadron, 381st Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Rear Gunner on the B-17 #42-102585 'The Betty L' during World War II.

On June 24, 1944, his crew took off from Station 167 airfield in Ridgewell, England, for a bombing mission to La Riche - Tours, France. Around 08:30H, their plane was shot down by flak, taking a direct hit to the radio room and setting the engine no. 3 on fire. The plane crashed in the town of Valléres. This incident resulted in the deaths of four crew members, four were taken as prisoners, and one member evaded the German capture. SSgt Waldow was one of those who were captured.

He died on January 1, 1991, at the age of 66. He is now buried in the Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net