[DavidIsby]

From Facebook: B-17 The Flying Fortress ~ The Planes, The Crews & The Missions...✪ ·
Dottie-John Billock ·
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It is with our deepest and sincere sadness, we advise this revered Facebook B-17 Group that our beloved Great Uncle and Freer Family Hero, WWII U.S. Army Air Force B-17 Pilot Lt. Donald R. Freer, passed away peacefully in his sleep during the night at the Washington Square Healthcare & Veterans Retirement Home in Warren, Ohio, and are thankful he is now in the eternal comfort of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Dottie & I extend our sincerest condolences to his lovely wife and equally revered and loved, Great Aunt Mary Freer and their son Tom and daughter Susan and her husband Karl, and their 2 daughters, Kayla and Kristin.
Lt. Freer, who was 101 at the time of his passing overnight, lived a storied and much-admired and remarkable life during his early WWII days as a B-17 Pilot and beyond. Most notably, he and his courageous crew of their B-17 were shot down over Berlin during a Bombing Run of the steel mills on December 5, 1944. They were severely hit with flak, and he stayed with his B-17, “Easy Does It,” until he was assured all of his crew had safely parachuted and were clear of the plane as it was going down, as he struggled to maintain control of his plane, after one engine was completely destroyed and only one good engine remained. This was a courageously remarkable feat and moment in his storied life that is well documented before he was able to leave the controls and attempt to exit the plane through a narrow emergency cockpit window. His exit required two attempts, as he became stuck in the window and had to work his way back into the cockpit and finally escaped as the plane began to spiral downward. Once freed and his parachute opened, he looked around in fear, as his plane was coming toward him. He eventually landed safely in trees, but had to cut himself free, and unfortunately landed on the ground fracturing both his ankles and feet, which required him to wear special custom molded shoes for the rest of his life. Despite his injuries, he eventually made his way to a farmhouse, where he was eventually captured and taken in as a prisoner to a POW camp in Barth at Stalag Luft1 on the Baltic Sea until the end of the war. There is so much more that can be said about this truly courageous WWII Hero, who will be missed by his family and many others!
Thank you for your military service, Lt. Donald R. Freer, and a job well done!