Don Thomas Abernathy was born on January 2, 1922. He was the son of Eli Rufus Abernathy and Kate Emeline Roberts Abernathy.

Nose gunner of the B-25 Liberator 41-29244 “Double Trouble” that took off from Gioia del Colle, Italy on a mission to bomb the German Messerschmitt aircraft factory by Regensburg. Shot down by anti-aircraft fire over Slovenia. Five crew members went down with the plane and five parachuted from the severely damaged aircraft. Abernathy was taken prisoner of war to Stalag Luft 4 Gross Tychow where he remained until the end of the war.