Donald Joseph Cotton was born on March 10, 1923, in Eagle Grove, Wright County, Iowa. He was the son of Earl L. and Estella Ann Welsh Cotton. graduated from Polytechnic High School and attended Polytechnic College for two years. He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve at Santa Ana Army Air Base, California on February 22, 1943. He served in the 642nd Bomber Squadron, 409th Bomber Group, Light, as a Second Lieutenant and Pilot of A-26B #43-22359 during World War II.

On March 21, 1945, A-26B Invader 43-22359 of the 642nd Bombardment Squadron, 409th Bombardment Group (Light), Ninth Air Force departed Advanced Landing Ground A-70 Laon-Couvron, France, as part of a formation tasked with attacking the German rail hub at Dülmen. This mission formed part of the Allied interdiction campaign designed to disrupt troop movement ahead of the planned Rhine River crossing (Operation Plunder) two days later. As the formation approached the target area near Reken, German anti-aircraft artillery (flak) opened intense fire on the low-flying Invaders. 43-22359 sustained a direct hit to the wing, immediately crippling the aircraft. Pieces of wing structure and shrapnel violently disintegrated outward, and the pilot lost all control authority. The aircraft crashed into the countryside to the northwest of Reken, killing the crew instantly.

In April 1945, two bodies were recovered from a common grave in Reken, Germany. They were exhumed and transferred to Margraten, where they were initially interred as Unknowns on 17 April 1945. Upon further examination, the remains were identified, primarily through dental records, as those of Lt. Cotton and S/Sgt. Nord. Both men were subsequently laid to rest at Margraten.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.army.mil, www.fieldsofhonor-database.com