The Horrible Story of Donald R. Emerson ( O-813134) of the 4th Fighter Group holds the rabbit's foot talisman.

The Horrible Story of Donald R. Emerson (  O-813134) of the 4th Fighter Group holds the rabbit's foot talisman.

which he wears on a chain around his neck. Passed for publication 11 April 1944. 

Printed caption attached to print: 'D.R. Emerson (N. Dakota) flys with a rabbit's foot talisman, a gift from a New York girl friend.

Born 17 May 1923, Donald was raised on a farm in Minnesota during the Great Depression. He graduated from high school in 1941, not having excelled to any degree academically. 

He did not feel destined to be a farmer, so he soon moved to Chicago to find work. Jobs were scarce, but a friend got him a position at Montgomery Ward and took him in as a boarder. At Christmas, although he was not previously interested in flying, he took his first airplane ride.

With the advent of the Pearl Harbor attack he felt that he or his brother would be drafted. Donald, not interested in running the farm, decided to enlist so his older brother would be deferred to attend that duty.

He chose the Army and was sworn in during July 1942. He was assigned to the Air Corps and shipped to Lowery Field, Colorado, to become an armourer.

 Although his academic background was weak, he applied for, and was accepted as an Aviation Cadet.

 In October 1942 he was sent to Nashville, Tennessee, for Primary Training, graduating as a Second Lieutenant on 1 October 1943.

After further training in fighters in Florida he headed to New York, to embark on the 'Isle de France' bound for England.

 There he became attached to the 4th Fighter Group. He flew Mustangs and his embellished with a fighting-mad "Donald Duck" image.

Donald was big-hearted and wore a perpetual smile. He was soon endeared by his comrades as a friend and a leader.

 During 89 combat missions escorting bombers, strafing, etc., he destroyed seven enemy aircraft and wrought destruction on many trains, trucks, and other surface targets, becoming an "Ace" and a Captain in the Russian Shuttle mission. 

When his first tour ended he volunteered for a second.

On 24 December 1944 the group flew an uneventful escort mission to Giessen. 

Upon returning to England they discovered Debden was closed for operations due to thick fog, so the group landed at Raydon. 

The pilots were extremely disappointed at not being able to return to their base for the annual Christmas celebration, where 250 British Blitz orphans were treated to a grand party. 

Debden base rallied to the occasion and sent a truck loaded with turkeys, cigarettes, whiskey, money, and blankets to the pilots at Raydon to help restore their Christmas spirit.

Unfortunately, the business the following day called for an escort mission, this one to the Bonn/Trier area. 

Thirty-plus Me-109s and Fw-190s tried to attack the bombers out of the sun but immediately engaged by the 4th group escort. Twelve enemy aircraft were destroyed, but one of the Group's pilots joined the ranks of the 'Missing In Action' list.

Donald became detached from the group and was seen to engage six Me-109s single-handed, downing two of them; and then, out of ammunition, he headed for home on the deck. 

He failed to return to base and was later found dead in the wreckage of his plane in Belgium, the victim of ground fire. He was buried in his flying clothes the following day at the age of 21.