Don was a quiet, friendly boy, who had a smile for everyone he met.
He was born 29 August 1923, and raised in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

The only trouble Don was ever in, was as a small boy in school, he would cross his pencil and ruler, and "fly" them at his desk.

In high school his nickname was "Elly", where he was Manager of the football team, Manager of the Boys basketball team, a member of the Track team, Glee Club, the Outing Club and the Dramatic Club.

Upon graduating from high school, Don attended Dartsmouth College, and also worked there, so he could pay for flying lessons.

Came World War 2, Don enlisted in the United States Army Air Corp.

20 June 1942, he graduated from Army Air Force Training Detachment, Air Service Command School, Aircraft engine mechanics, at Ohio Institute of Aeronautics, in Columbus, Ohio., with the rank of Private First Class.

Next, Don was assigned to the 52nd AAFFTD, Darr Aero Tech,
Albany, Georgia, Class 43-D, Southeast Command as an Aviation Cadet.

From there, Don was assigned to Craig Field, Selma, Alabama, where he graduated in “advanced flying pilot training”.
Three of the boys who trained with Don would later become:
LIEUTENANT GENERAL JOHN B. HUDSON
BRIGADIER GENERAL LOUIS W. LASALLE
BRIGADIER GENERAL CHARLES J. ADAMS

Graduating from Aviation Cadet School, he was commissioned a 2nd Lt. and reassigned to the 439th Fighter Squadron, Dale Mabry Field, Tallahassee, Florida.
Don was there 16 July 1943.

He was then assigned to the 316th Fighter Squadron, 324th Fighter Group.
Don was killed in El Haoraria, Tunisia, North Africa, 27 August 1943,..... 42 days later and two days before his 20th birthday.

War Department accident reports of my brother's death:

War Department
U. S. Army Air Forces
Report of Aircraft Accident
Place: El Haouaria
Date 27 August 1943
Time: 0900 Hrs.
Aircraft: P-40F
Organization: 12th U.S.A.F, 324TH Ftr. Gp., 316th Fighter Squadron
Name: Ellis, Donald J.
Serial No.: 0—802275
Rank: 2nd Lt.
Result: Killed
Aircraft damage: Aircraft – Total loss Engine: Total loss Propeller: Total loss Nature of accident: Airplane came apart in the air, right wing first then the tail. Cause of accident: Right wing failure

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31 August 1943

The undersigned did, on August 27, 1943, in the company of Major R. Gillett, visit the scene of the accident in which 2nd Lieut. Donald J. Ellis was killed.

Following a thorough inspection of the wreckage and interrogation of the many witnesses to the accident, the cause of the accident is explained as follows:
Lt. Ellis was flying his P40F between 1000' - 1500'. Evidence indicates that the right wing, in breaking off at the center section, folded back over the fuselage tearing off the cockpit canopy frame and all, the upper portion of the fuselage, and a portion of the tail surfaces.
The wreckage was strewn for some half a mile in the following order:
(1) Pieces of the right wing,
(2) right hand horizontal stabilizer,
(3) canopy glass and frame,
(4) guns and landing gear out of right wing, (5) fuselage, engine and left wing.

Due to the nature of the accident there was no opportunity for the pilot to attempt a jump.

The cause of the accident being material failure of the right wing structure.

Edward A. Sanders, Jr.
Captain, Air Corps

Opns Officer

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31 August 1943

2nd Lt. Donald J. Ellis, 0-802275, on August 27, 1943, was on a local flight in a P-40F.
After talking with several men who witnessed the accident, here briefly is an account of what happened.
At about 1000 feet the right wing came off, knocking the windshield, canopy, right stabilizer, and elevator off.
Consequently the pilot wasn't able to jump. Parts of the wings, stabilizer, guns, wheels, and canopy were strewn over a length of a half mile.
It is believed the cause of the accident was material failure of the right wing.
Harry R. Gillett
Major, Air Corps
Ass't Opns Officer.

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Witness Statement

At about 0900 hours on 27-8-43, I saw a fighter plane of the A.A.F at about 1000 feet.
The starboard wing broke up and then the whole plane broke apart.
We got to the scene of the crash, put a guard on and I buried the pilot near the scene of the crash.

/s/ R. H. Slack
81ST A. Tk. Regt.
R.A. 1st British Div.

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Witness Statement

At about 0900 hours on 27-8-43, I saw a fighter plane of the A.A.F. at about 1000 feet.
The starboard wing and tail broke up, and then the whole plane crashed to earth.
We arrived at the scene and buried the pilot and then placed a guard at the place.

/s/ F. Varsey
Sgt. F. Varsey
81st A. Tk. Regt. R.A.
1st British Div.

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It was those 2 British soldiers that recovered Donald's body
and buried him, until the Americans arrived.
Through the years, we have tried, with no success, to find those soldiers,
and/or their families, to "thank" them.

My brother died doing what he loved most, in life.......FLYING!
But, his memory will live on.