Thomas Qualman was born on February 6, 1925 and was from Michigan. He served as the Navigator of a B-24. On December 17, 1943 B-24J (44-41016) piloted by 1LT Thomas West, flying out of Torretta, Italy as part of the 765th Bomber Squadron, 461st Bomber Group, 49th Bomber Wing, 15th Airforce, on a raid to bomb the Odertal Oil Refinery in Germany. The formation was attacked by enemy aircraft and shot down. The plane crashed near Troubky in the present-day Czech Republic. Six of the crew perished; 4 were able to parachute to safety and were captured. Qualman was able to parachute to safety and spent the rest of the war as a POW at Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia 54-12. The town of Troubky buried the downed airmen and remembered them in a beautiful grave/memorial in the town cemetery. The American Flag is flown over the grave every December 17 and July 4th.