Walter L. Mitz
Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces

In June 1944, Sergeant Walter L. Mitz was serving as a gunner with the 756th Bomb Squadron, 459th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 304th Bombardment Wing, 15th Air Force, based at Giulia Airfield, Italy. The 459th Bombardment Group flew B-24 Liberator bombers on missions in Italy, France, the Balkans, Austria and Germany.

On 10 June 1944, SGT Mitz was a gunner on B-24J Liberator bomber Serial Number 42-64340 enroute to a bombing mission at Ferrara, Italy. The aircraft had a crew of 10. While the group was assembling at an altitude of about 3000 feet, 2LT Daron’s aircraft exploded. The exact cause of the explosion was not determined. The entire crew of the aircraft was killed in action and their remains were initially interred at Bari War Cemetery in Bari, Provincia di Bari, Puglia, Italy.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Purple Heart
Air Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Army Air Forces Aircrew Badge

B-24J Liberator Bomber Serial Number 42-64340 had the following crew on 10 June 1944.

● Pilot: 2LT George (NMI) Daron, Jr. [Honoree Record ID 201184]
● Co-Pilot: 2LT Merrell J. Malley [Honoree Record ID 204917]
● Navigator: 2LT Boris (NMI) Lapping [Honoree Record ID 204481]
● Bombardier: 2LT Arthur J. Greene [Honoree Record ID 308182]
● Engineer/Gunner: SSGT Everett F. Ralston [Honoree Record ID 308183]
● Radio Operator: SSGT John L. Fleckstein [Honoree Record ID 308184]
● Gunner: SGT Austin G. Dennison [Honoree Record ID 201361]
● Gunner: PVT Troy R. Dooley [Honoree Record ID 189790]
● Gunner: SGT Rudolph R. Bourgault [Honoree Record ID 308185]
● Gunner: SGT Walter L. Mitz [Honoree Record ID 205590]

Burial

Sergeant Walter L. Mitz is buried at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial in Nettuno, Provincia di Roma, Lazio, Italy, in Plot F, Row 11, Grave 15.

[The information in this biography was derived primarily from various sections of the 459th Bombardment Group website at http://www.459bg.org/ and permission was granted for its use.]