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West Seneca Answers the Call to Arms Residents in World War II Town of West Seneca, New York Name: DONLON PETER J. Address: 28 BENSON AVENUE Service Branch: ARMY - AIR FORCE Rank: 1ST LT. Unit / Squadron: 365TH FIGHTER SQUADRON, 358TH FIGHTER GROUP 9TH AF THUNDERBOLT UNIT Medals / Citations: EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS PURPLE HEART AIR MEDAL W/13 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS AERIAL GUNNER MEDAL GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL Theater of Operations / Assignment: EUROPEAN THEATER Service Notes: First Lieutenant Peter J. Donlon honorably served in the United States Army-Air Force / 1LT Peter Dolan joined the Army-Air Force in November 1942 As a crew member of a Thunderbolt fighter-bomber, the crew named their aircraft the "Patsy Ann", in honor of Lieutenant Donlon's 13-year-old sister Lieutenant Donlon was piloting his P-47 fighter when he was hit by enemy gunfire over France on 23 December 1944 / Lieutenant Peter Donlon was Killed in Action (KIA) when he was unable to control his aircraft and crash landed in a French field / First Lieutenant Peter J. Donlon had flown 74 missions First Lieutenant Peter J. Donlon is interred at Lorraine American Cemetery, north of St. Avold, France / Peter Donlon joined 10,489 Americans interred in Europe’s largest cemetery for America’s servicemen who never made it home Base Assignments: Miscelleaneous: Peter J. Donlon was a graduate of the Little Seminary of St. Joseph's and the Little Flower / Prior to enlisting in the Army, Peter Donlon had worked as a postal clerk for the United States Post Office The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt was one of the main United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) fighters of World 2014 WWW.WSVET.ORG