My Great Uncle, 2LT Leo F Valder; The B-24 he was aboard was downed by fighters on 16 January ’44 over Trieste, Yugoslavia. Believed to be the first 449th Bomb Groups aircraft downed by enemy fighters. 5 KIA and 5 POW. MACR 2325 Our families last Gold Star to date A letter from his Bombardier "As you know we were flying to Ossoppo, Airdrome on a bombing mission. We had trouble with our No. 1 supercharger and were forced to fall out of formation very near the target. I had picked a target to drop my bombs and to our surprise it was bigger than we thought and we were immediately hit by thick flak. We were flying along with hardly any control and as the formation came over and left us, we were attacked by six to ten enemy fighters. The three gunners in the rear were killed on the first attack. On the second pass they shot me in the side, shot Ray in the leg and set the plane on fire. I heard Ray tell Leo to get the hell out, but Leo refused to leave because Ray was wounded. The last that was seen of either of them was by Lt. Hambey who was just leaving the plane and he says that Leo was helping Ray put his Chute on. I was shot in the hand just then so lost all interest in their conversation. As I was fixing to leave myself, I was shot again in the head and passed out and Sergeant Wiley put me out. I am certain your husband has given his life for his country and for the crew and Ray. He could have bailed out but refused to do so because Ray was severely wounded. He is great in my mind and you can be very proud of his memory."

Trevis Wilmer, Great Nephew of Leo Valder