World War II Honoree

Donald Mathew Pieri

Hometown

Pecos, Texas

Honored By

A Grateful American

AMERICAN CITIZEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH AIR TRAINING PLAN, HELD THE RANK OF FLIGHT LIEUTENANT AND SERVED AS A PILOT IN THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE. ENLISTED ON APRIL 19, 1941 AT WINDSOR, ONTARIO. EARNED HIS PILOT'S FLYING BADGE AT NO. 2 SERVICE FLYING TRAINING SCHOOL, UPLANDS (OTTAWA), ONTARIO AND RECEIVED HIS COMMISSION AS A PILOT OFFICER ON DECEMBER 19, 1941. AWARDED BRITISH DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS AND DESIGNATED AN AIR COMBAT FIGHTER ACE WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF FIVE ENEMY AIRCRAFT. KILLED IN ACTION AT THE AGE OF 27 WHILE SERVING WITH NO. 412 'FALCON' SQUADRON, ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE (FIGHTER COMMAND) WHEN HE BAILED OUT OF HIS SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE MK. IX (MK827) WAS TAKEN PRISONER AND DIED OF WOUNDS ON MAY 3, 1945. COMMEMORATED ON PANEL 278 AT THE AIR FORCES MEMORIAL AT RUNNYMEDE, ENGLEFIELD GREEN, SURREY, ENGLAND.