Walter Springer was born on March 6, 1921 and was from New Castle, Delaware. He served as a Gunner on B-25 “Spider’s Frolic Pad (43-27737).
On March 21, 1945, B-25 (43-27737) “Spider’s Frolic Pad” Tail #42 was on a mission to bomb a railroad bridge at Campo di Trues, near the Brenner Pass. The plane was part of the 446th Bomber Squadron, 321st Bomber Group, 57th Bomber Wing, of the 12th Air Force. Departing Solenzara, Corsica, the plane was part of a 15-plane mission to bomb this heavily defended site. Brenner Pass site. After dropping its bombs, the plane was hit by flak and lost an engine. The Pilot, Captain Herman Everhart, who was on his 60th mission, attempted to fly the plane to find a site to make an emergency landing. Over Switzerland, near the Italian border by Lake Lugano, Everhart directed the crew to bail out. The crew bailed out; four safely landed and were interned by the Swiss Government. The Co-Pilot, Flight Officer Charles Callaway’s parachute didn’t open and he died upon impact on Monte Gheggio near Curio, Switzerland (A memorial remembers Callaway in Curio). Everhart bailed out last and while coming down was shot by the enemy on the ground and killed. Observers of the incident on both sides of the border yelled at the enemy for murdering the pilot. A memorial remembers Captain Everhart located on the side of the Basilica SS Crocifisso (Holy Cross) in Lavena Ponte Presa. (Reference Missing Aircraft Report {MACR}: 13203.
Springier survived the crash and was interned in Switzerland for the rest of the war.