World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Walter T. Garber
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Broussard, Louisiana
Honored By
Matthew Garber
Relationship
Grandson
JOINED ON 30 JULY 1942. ATTENDED BASIC TRAINING AT CLEAR WATER, FLORIDA, THEN TO RADIOMAN SCHOOL IN SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA, GRADUATING 23 DECEMBER 1942. COMPLETED GUNNERY SCHOOL IN HARLINGTON,TEXAS, GRADUATING AROUND 1 MARCH 1943. FLIGHT TRAINING WAS IN THREE PHASES; THE FIRST IN BLYTHE, CALIFORNIA, THE SECOND IN RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA AND THE THIRD AT SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, COMPLETING AROUND 15 JULY 1943. AFTER FURLOUGH, TRANSFERRED TO THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ON OR ABOUT 3 SEPTEMBER 1943 AND ARRIVED, VIA B-17 BOMBER, AT SNETTERTON HEATH, ENGLAND. ASSIGNED TO THE 8TH AIR FORCE, 96TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP, 339TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON. HIS B-17 WAS NAMED 'WILDFIRE'. STARTING ON 2 OCTOBER 1943 HE MADE 22 MISSIONS, INCLUDING SURVIVING 'BLACK THURSDAY' OVER SCHWEINFURT, GERMANY, WHERE 60 ALLIED BOMBERS WERE LOST IN ONE DAY. ON THE 22ND MISSION HIS B-17 WAS SHOT DOWN BY GERMAN FIGHTERS ON 29 JANUARY 1944. ALL THE CREW PARACHUTED TO SAFETY, HOWEVER, THEY WERE SHORTLY CAPTURED BY THE GERMANS. IMPRISONED IN STALAG LUFT #6, NEAR HEYDEKRUG, EAST PRUSSIA,UNTIL ABOUT 15 JULY 1944. TRANSFERRED TO STALAG LUFT #4, NEAR BELGARD, POLAND UNTIL ABOUT 15 FEBRUARY 1945. AS THE RUSSIANS ADVANCED FROM THE EAST, THE GERMANS MARCHED (86 DAY DEATH MARCH) THE PRISONERS OF WAR TO STALAG LUFT #1, NEAR BARTH, GERMANY, APPROXIMATELY 600 MILES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINTER. TWO OF HIS CREW MEMBERS MADE SURE THAT HE WAS ON THE TRAIN BOXCAR, WITH THE OTHER SICK AND WOUNDED, HEADED FOR STALAG LUFT #1 RATHER THAN MARCH TO THE CAMP THUS, LITERALLY, SAVING HIS LIFE. HE PARTICIPATED IN THE AIR OFFENSIVE, EUROPE CAMPAIGN AND HIS AWARDS INCLUDE THE AIR MEDAL WITH 2 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, PURPLE HEART, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE CAMPAIGN STAR, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND THE PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL. HE RECEIVED AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE ON 17 OCTOBER 1945.