HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH AIR FORCE

APO 520 - U.S. Army                         D-LYS-lf

10 October 1944 Ref: USA/SKP/110

ESCAPE STATEMENT

1. Moore, Donald H., 2nd Lt., O-822956, 776 Bomb Sq., 464 Bomb Group.

Born - 30 Nov. 1920                                       Enlisted - Aug. 1942 Home Address - 365 Newport Ave., Quincy, Mass.

Peacetime Profession - Student

M.I.A. - 19 July 1944              RTD - 10 Oct. 1944                Missions - 18

2. On 19 July over Munich, just before bombs away, Lt. Moore’s plane lost all of its electrical system. Went ahead and dropped bombs on target. Lost power because supercharger would not work because electrical system out. Started back and got halfway between Munich and the Alps. Started losing altitude very rapidly and was about 10 miles behind formation. Had no oxygen (believed system to have been shot out). Could not transfer gas. Could not get electrical system working. Did not think could clear Alps so turned towards Switzerland. About 10 minutes from the Swiss border an ME 109 made one pass at the plane (ME 109 painted in desert paint). Crossed into Switzerland just south of Lake Constance. Flew over Zurich and some Swiss fighters came up and escorted the plane to A/D at Dubendorf (think nose wheel gave way). From Dubendorf Lt. Moore and all of crew were taken to Neuchatel, 47 degrees N 6 50 E, where he was put in quarantine for two weeks. On 1 Aug. ‘44 he was moved to the Palace Hotel at Davos Platz, 36 48 N 9 50 E, where he remained for two months.

3. Davos Platz arrived 1 Aug. ‘44, departed 1 Oct. ‘44.

4. On 1 Oct. ‘44 Source and his pilot contacted some Swiss people who provided them with bicycles, civilian clothes and rail tickets to Aigle (paid for by source and companion). They bicycled to the railway station at Franenkirth, caught the train to Disentis, 46 44 N 8 52 E, and the last holiday train of the season. From here to Brig, 46 20 N 8 0 E, where they traveled again by rail to A…e, 46 20 N 6 58 E, and walked to the Rhone River which they were unable to cross as it was guarded.

Source contacted some Polish soldiers in the area who gave him and his pilot Polish uniforms and attached them to a party of 12 Polish soldiers who were trying to escape. All started off together, but after two hours walking a Swiss patrol captured 11 of the 14 including the pilot. Source managed to escape, and at about midnight the same day met a Polish boy and traveled with him into the Swiss mountains.