Donald Joe Kesselmayer was born on January 10, 1923, in Holgate, Henry County, Ohio. He was the son of Irvin Henry Kesselmayer and Kathryn L. "Katie" Barth Kesselmayer. He served in the 749th Bomb Squadron, 457th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Top Turret Gunner of the B-17 (42-31629) known as ''Raven's Haven'' during World War II.

On April 9, 1944, during a raid over the Polish port city of Gdynia, the aircraft sustained heavy damage from German anti-aircraft defenses and was subsequently attacked by Fw 190 fighters. The assault crippled the plane, disabling one of its engines and compromising its cockpit. Despite efforts by pilot Lt. David P. Parks to maintain control, the damage forced the crew to abandon the aircraft over German territory. Out of the ten crew members aboard, seven were killed, while three survived and were taken as prisoners of war. SSgt Kesselmayer was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial, Neuville-en-Condroz, Arrondissement de Liège, Liège, Belgium. He also has a cenotaph on Saint Johns Cemetery Holgate.

Source of information: www.americanairmuseum.com