Chester Joseph Walas was born on April 22, 1920, in Moosup, Windham County, Connecticut. He was the husband of Norma C. Richmond Walas. He served in the 452nd Bomber Squadron, 322nd Bomber Group, Medium, as a Technical Sergeant and Radio Operator of B-26B #41-7991 during World War II.

On the morning of May 17, 1943, eleven B-26 Marauder bombers of the 452nd Bomb Squadron, 322nd Bomb Group, departed RAF Rougham in England on a low-level mission to attack power facilities at Velsen and IJmuiden in the German-occupied Netherlands. The objective was to disrupt the electrical infrastructure supporting the German war effort. Shortly after takeoff, one aircraft was forced to return because of mechanical problems, and the mission was soon detected by German radar. As the formation crossed the Dutch coast, it came under attack from German anti-aircraft defenses and fighter aircraft, resulting in the loss of two Marauders near Maassluis and Rozenburg. At approximately 11:58 a.m., while the remaining bombers were attempting to regroup, B-26B 41-18080 (DR-K) and B-26B 41-17991 (DR-S) collided in mid-air over the Noordzijderpolder north of Bodegraven. Both aircraft disintegrated and crashed into nearby fields, while debris from the collision struck a third bomber, forcing it to make an emergency landing near De Meije. Of the twelve airmen aboard the two aircraft, eight were killed, and four were seriously injured. Residents and members of the Dutch Red Cross quickly responded to the crash sites, assisting the survivors before they were transported to a hospital in Gouda. After receiving treatment for their injuries at a hospital in Gouda, the four surviving airmen were taken into German custody as prisoners of war and remained in captivity until the end of World War II.

TSgt Walas was among the four airmen who survived the crash and was held as a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia, Bavaria. Following the war, he worked for the former InterRoyal Corporation for 35 years and continued part-time employment until the age of 87. A member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion Post 91, and All Hallows Church in Moosup. He died on September 11, 2012, and is now buried in the Union Cemetery, Moosup, Windham County, Connecticut, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, en.wikipedia.org