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Contact Info
Home Town Jamestown, North Dakota
Date of Passing Apr 28, 1986
Location of Interment Golden Gate National Cemetery (VA) - San Bruno, California
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Colonel (Air Corps) Donald Arthur Baccus (ASN: 0-406504), United States Army Air Forces, for gallantry in action as Pilot of a Fighter Airplane and Commanding Officer of the 356th Fighter Group, EIGHTH Air Force, in action while leading a Fighter Group escorting heavy bombers over Germany, on 26 November 1944. A few minutes after making rendezvous, enemy aircraft were reported in the vicinity and Colonel Baccus, with his Group, set up a vigilant patrol. Observing a large number of fighters preparing to attack, he skillfully positioned his squadrons between the enemy and the bombers. Then, leading a Flight, he launched a daring assault against approximately twenty-five (25) ME-109's. During the ensuing battle, he became separated from the Group but was successful in destroying two (2) enemy fighters before breaking off the attack. Still alone and low on ammunition, he rejoined the bombers, and finding them unescorted, went over the target with them and escorted them back to the coast. The fact that during this action, his Group destroyed twenty-three (23), probably destroyed one (1) and damaged nine (9) aircraft is a tribute to Colonel Baccus' peerless leadership and unsurpassed combat skill.
General Orders: Headquarters, 8th Air Force, General Orders No. 66 (May 8, 1945)
WWII - European Theater of Operations/Central Europe Campaign (1945)
From Month/Year
March / 1945
To Month/Year
May / 1945
Description On March 22, 1945, the U.S. Third Army established a second salient, in addition to the one at Remagen, across the Rhine River at Oppenheim, 288 miles southwest of Berlin. The next day its troops also crossed the river at Boppard, 40 miles northwest of Oppenheim. Farther north, British and Canadian forces went across near Wesel, 65 miles northwest of Bonn. Ninth Air Force and Royal Air Force troop carriers and gliders dropped an American and a British airborne division north of Wesel on March 24, while the U.S. Ninth Army crossed the river 10 miles southeast of Wesel. The next day the U.S. First Army began an advance into Germany from Remagen, just south of Bonn, and on March 26 the Seventh Army crossed the Rhine River north of Mannheim, about 25 miles south of Oppenheim. Five days later, on March 31, French troops crossed the Rhine 10 miles south of Mannheim.
Before the Allied armies began crossing the Rhine in force, Allied air forces bombed and strafed German positions in the contested areas along the river. Heavy bombers also flew battlefield interdiction missions between March 21 and 24, before returning to strategic bombardment missions against targets in Germany. Although little of strategic value remained because of the destruction wrought by the
combined bomber offensive, oil refineries and fuel depots remained primary targets.
The Luftwaffe could no longer effectively oppose the heavy bombers nor could it provide close air support for retreating German troops.
When fuel was available, the enemy continued to intercept Allied bomber formations with a few fighter aircraft. On the battle front, AAF fighter-bombers flew close air support and tactical reconnaissance missions for Allied forces, while medium bombers attacked bridges, trucks, troop concentrations, railroads, and airfields. Troop carrier and transport aircraft flew critically needed supplies to forward airfields that had been rebuilt by aviation engineers behind the advancing Allied armies. After delivering supplies, the pilots loaded wounded soldiers and liberated prisoners of war and returned them to the rear areas. The last mission of the AAF's heavy bombers in Europe involved flying supplies to the starving population in The Netherlands.
