World War II Honoree
Killed In Action
Donald Primeau
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Lowell, Massachusetts
Honored By
Orville L. Kline
Rank: Second Lieutenant. Inducted into the United States Army Air Corps March 25, 1942 at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. As a graduate of the Advanced Flight Aviation Cadet program, he accepted his Commission and Silver Pilot Wings. He served as a Co-Pilot aboard a B-17 ‘Flying-Fortress’ Bomber, assigned to the 323rd Bomber Squadron, 91st Bomber Group, and a subordinate unit of the U.S. 8th Air Force ‘Mighty Eighth’ Army Air Forces. His unit was based at the Bassingbourn Royal Air Force Station Location: Cambridgeshire, England. Tuesday, August 17, 1943 he was killed in action, when his Bomber was shot down by German fighters, and crashed near the village of Liege, Belgium. His squadron was dispatched to assist in a raid on the ball bearing factory Location: Schweinfurt, Germany. Personnel from a Graves Registration Company buried him in the Neuville-en-Condroz Battlefield Cemetery Liege, Belgium. In the post-war era, this Airman’s family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at the Saint Patrick Cemetery in Lowell, Massachusetts. This American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Air Medal and the Purple Heart. The Air Medal was awarded to the Lieutenant for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight, and the Purple Heart, for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.