Walter Hollis “Pres” Preston was born in Tennessee on December 16, 1922, and lived at Bluff City, Sullivan County, Tennessee. His family and friends in Bluff City called him Hollis. His crewmates called him 'Pres'. He was the oldest of four children of Charles W. Preston (6 Oct 1884 – Nov 1973), who was born at Wayne County, West Virginia; and Katherine M. 'Kate' Preston (18 Jul 1894 – Sep 1987), who was born in Tennessee. His parents married in Tennessee on April 13, 1920. His father was a carpenter. He completed four years of high school and was single, without dependents, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Knoxville, Tennessee on August 29, 1942.

He completed Army Air Forces pilot training and was assigned a crew. The Preston crew completed B-17 operational training in the States and deployed to England. The crew was assigned to the 838th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England. They arrived at Station 137 by July 28, 1944, and became part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe. Here is the crew roster at that time:

838th Bomb Squadron, Crew #73
• Walter H. Preston – Pilot
• William E. Bendt – Copilot
• Ora A. Spaid Jr – Navigator
• Paul L. Biri – Bombardier
• Roy C. Meyers – Radio Operator
• Robert H. Easley – Engineer
• Delmar J. Galloway – Gunner
• Laurie S. Horner – Gunner
• William D. Lallathin – Gunner
• Dorsey E. Wilson – Gunner

On September 12, 1944, the 487th Bomb Group took off from Station 137 to bomb the oil refinery at Leuna near Magdeburg, Germany. It was Lt Preston's twelfth combat mission. He and his crew flew B-17G 44-6305 on this mission. Here is the crew roster on that day:

B-17G 44-6305 – 838th Bomb Squadron
• Preston, Walter H – 2/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Bendt, William E – 2/Lt – Copilot – Safe
• Spaid Jr, Ora – 2/Lt – Navigator – POW
• Schulz, Orville M – F/O – Bombardier – Safe
• Easley, Robert H – S/Sgt – Engineer – Safe
• Meyers, Roy C – Sgt – Radio Operator – POW
• Wilson, Dorsey E – Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – Safe
• Galloway, Delmar J – Sgt – Waist Gunner – Safe
• Horner, Laurie S – Sgt – Tail Gunner – Safe

The aircraft lost an engine between Bremen and Hamburg while inbound to the target, and Lt Preston had to leave the formation. He dropped his bombs and turned for home. The aircraft lost two more engines, and the crew had to bail out. This occurred over Belgium, just behind the Allied lines. Lt Preston was killed in action when he became entangled in his parachute shroud lines and broke his back upon landing. Six crew members were recovered by Allied forces. Two crew members were captured by the Germans and became prisoners of war.

Lt Preston was buried initially by personnel of the American First Army at Saint-Vith, Belgium. His remains were later reinterred at the U.S. Military Cemetery Fosses #1 at Fosses-La-Ville, Province de Namur, Belgium in plot B78. This cemetery was closed by the end of 1948, and Lt Preston's remains were moved to Henri-Chapel American Cemetery and stored for some months before being returned to the United States in March 1949. His remains were permanently reinterred at Morning View Cemetery in Bluff City, Tennessee.

Source of information: Paul M. Webber, www.findagrave.com