Donald W. Larsen was born on September 30, 1924, in San Diego County, California. He was the son of Henry L. Larsen and Anna Leah McFetridge Larsen. He served in the 702nd Bomber Squadron, 445th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Waist Gunner of B-24H #42-50324 nicknamed ''Eileen'' during World War II.

On September 27, 1944, during the bombing mission against Kassel, Germany, B-24H “Eileen” was heavily damaged when German fighters launched intense attacks against the scattered bombers of the 445th Bomb Group. Crippled by severe battle damage, the aircraft lost control and eventually crashed in Germany. As the bomber went down, the crew faced a tragic and varied fate. Some airmen successfully bailed out and survived, but were captured and spent the remainder of the war as prisoners. Others also parachuted from the aircraft but did not survive their descent or the events that followed. Two crew members remained in the aircraft and were killed when it was struck by heavy cannon fire.

SSgt Larsen was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, San Diego County, California, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, U.S. Army Air Forces Missing Air Crew Report