World War II Honoree

Charles H. Daman

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Seattle, Washington

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Sergeant. On March 18, 1943, he was inducted into the United States Army Air Corps, with his induction at Spokane, Washington. After the completion of Boot Camp, he was accepted into the Flight Aviation Training Program. Served as a Bombardier/Togglier in a B-24 ‘Liberator’ Bomber in the European Theater of Operations. His unit was based at the Royal Air Force Station Seething Norwich, Norfolk, England. Assigned to the 714th Bombardment Squadron, 448th Bombardment Group; U.S. Eighth ‘Mighty Eighth Army Air Forces. Reported missing in action Wednesday, April 4, 1945 when his group was dispatched to bomb all German Air Bases at Parchim, Perleberg and Wesendorf, Germany. En-route to the targets, the formation was attacked by German fighters in the vicinity of Hamburg. His bomber carrying a crew of ten was shot down, crashing in the area of Ludwigslust. Later his missing in action status was amended to read killed in action. His name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at the American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands. After the cessation of hostilities in Europe, his remains were not recovered. In 2014 and 2015, teams from the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Agency excavated the crash site. There were some remains, American military gear, and other artifacts were recovered. The remains were transferred to the Agencies laboratory at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, where he was identified. The remains of this Airman were interred with Military Honors, July 11, 2018 at the Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He received the following awards posthumously: Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters and the Purple Heart. The Air Medal awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.