World War II Honoree

Don F. Estep

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Fort Smith, Arkansas

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Staff Sergeant. Inducted into the United States Army August 26, 1939 at Little Rock, Arkansas. Upon his graduation from recruit training, he was designated to attend the Flight Aviation Training Program. Following his training, he served as a Combat Photographer, assigned to the 501st Bomber Squadron, 345th Bomber Group, an element of the U.S. Fifth Army Air Forces. His unit was based at Port Moresby, New Guinea, Location: South West Pacific Theater of Operations. Sunday, August 13, 1944 he was reported missing in action, during a combat missing aboard a B-25D-5 ‘Mitchell’ Bomber. A flight of six bombers were performing a bombing strike, against the Lolobata Village on Biak Island. After strafing the target, his bomber was shot down when the formation passed over an Imperial Japanese anti-aircraft gun position. His name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippine Islands. Later his missing in action status ultimately, to read killed in action Thursday, February 21, 1946. This American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Air Medal and the Purple Heart. The Air Medal was awarded to the Sergeant for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight, and the Purple Heart for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.