Doane Herring Hage, Jr. was born on June 9, 1921. He was the son of Doane Herring Hage and Helen Louise Williamson Hage.

Hage was only 20 years old when he enlisted in the Army in February 1941. He had graduated from Mineola High School and had spent a year at Virginia Polytechnic institute. He was working at a Brooklyn shipyard at the time of his enlistment.

At the time of his death, Doane Herring, Jr. was serving in the 423rd Bomber Squadron, 306th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Sergeant and Right Waist Gunner on the B-17F #41-24491 'Man O War.'

On November 9, 1942, at 10h00, his crew took off from Station 111 airfield in Thurleigh, England, to attack the submarine base in St. Nazaire, France. Unfortunately, at around 02:40 pm, their plane was shot down by flak and crashed 1 km southeast of St-Andre-des-Eaux. This incident resulted in six casualties, three prisoners of war, and only one who evaded German capture. Sgt Hage was one of the POWs. He was taken to Stalag Luft 17B near Krems, Austria.

Sgt Hage died on September 26, 2011, at the age of 90. He is now buried in the Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, USA.

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