SSgt Charles T. Eaton was born in 1916, in Guimon, Oklahoma. He was the mechanic of the B-17 42-2838 “The Concho Clipper” which took off from station 110 Polebrook, UK on a bombing mission over Saint Nazaire’s submarine pens along “Flak Alley”. Over the target and harassed by Fw-190 fighters, they had just released their payload when an 88mm flak shell burst in the bomb bay, killing three gunners and the radio operator. The pilot dove to extinguish the ensuing fire in both right engines but could not regain control. The order was given to bail out and the plane subsequently crashed in two main pieces. All the survivors were taken prisoner. Eaton was taken prisoner and sent to Stalag 17B in Braunau, Gneikendorf.

SSgt Eaton passed away on March 13, 1995, in Placentia, California of a heart attack, having had quadruple bypass surgery some years before. He is now buried in the Memory Garden Memorial Park, California.