• Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Date of birth:

December 19th, 1919 (Pavilion/New York, United States)

Date of death:

February 9th, 1994 (Batavia/New York, United States)

Nationality:

American

Donald Higgins grew up in LeRoy, New York.

During the Second World War he was the pilot of a Boeing B-17 bomber within the 340th Bombardment Squadron, 97th Bombardment Group. He accomplished a total of 52 bombardment sorties. He ended the Second World War as First Lieutenant.

He married Elizabeth Schmitt on July 9th, 1945. The couple had three children.

Bombardment sorties:
June 14th 1944 Lietenant Higgins flew his first high altitude bombing mission on the oil refineries in Budapest Hungary. – 2 missions;
June 16th 1944 Krogan Oil Refinery - 2 missions;
June 20th, 1944 Arrived in Italy;
June 23rd 1944 Ploesti – 1 mission;
June 25th 1944 Sete – 1 mission;
June 26th 1944 Schwacht Oil Refinery – 2 missions;
June 27th, 1944 Budapest M/Y – 2 missions;
June 30th 1944 Blechhammar – 1 mission;
July 2nd 1944 Brod – 2 missions;
July 3rd, 1944 Arad – 1 mission;
July 4th, 1944 Brasnov – 2 missions;
July 5th, 1944 Montepelier – 1 mission;
July 8th, 1944 Vienna Oil Refinery – 2 missions;
July 13th, 1944 Mestre M/Y – 1 mission;
July 14th, 1944 Budapest – 1 mission;
July 15th, 1944 Ploesti – 1 mission;
July 18th, 1944 Tagliamento Brid - 1 mission;
July 19th, 1944 Munich – 2 missions;
July 20th, 1944 Memmingen A/D – 2 missions;
July 22nd, 1944 Ploesti – 1 mission;
August 3rd, 1944 Fredrickshaven – 2 missions;
August 6th, 1944 Valence M/Y – 1 mission;
August 7th, 1944 Blechhammar -2 missions;
August 9th, 1944 Gyor – 1 mission;
August 15th, 1944 Gun Position N-237 – 1 mission;
August 18th, 1944 Ploesti – 2 missions;
August 25th, 1944 Lisen A/C Factory – 2 missions;
September 3rd, 1944 Belgrade - 1 mission;
September 17th, 1944 Budapest M/Y – 1 mission;
September 23rd, 1944 Wels M/Y – 2 missions;
October 12th, 1944 Bologna – 1 mission;
October 17th, 1944 Secret – 2 missions;
November 6th, 1944 Maribor M/Y – 2 missions;
November 18th 1944 Vienna Oil Refinery – 2missions;
November 18th, 1944 Lieutenant Higgins flew his "golden mission" when he bombed the oil refineries in Vienna, Austria.

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• Photo 1: Mark Higgins
• - Family records
  - Flight Logbook