Idaho hero's fate uncovered - in the Netherlands
On Oct. 14, 1943, U.S. Army Air Force pilot Donald Paul Breeden went missing in action.
He was on his way to attack a German ball bearings factory when his B-17 was shot down over the town of Eygelshoven in the Netherlands.
Breeden had gone to school in the Worley School District and his marriage information was found in Coeur d'Alene, but for more than 70 years, no one had a clue about what happened to this brave pilot.
Until now.
Wim Slangen, an Eygelshoven native, helped erect a monument in Shinveld (near Eygelshoven) and began researching the crash of the B-17. He had known about it since he was young because his great-uncle was almost hit by the wing of the plane as it fell.
Slangen said as he began his research, he was intrigued that Breeden was the only one still missing.
"It was said that six crewmembers had used their parachutes. Five were arrested within minutes after hitting the ground, but he went missing," Slangen told The Press via email. "Meantime in our local paper there was an article on 'The faces of Margraten.' We had been at the Margraten U.S. Cemetery more often ever since I was a small boy."
On May 4 — the "Dutch Memorial Day," he explained — he and his wife went to Margraten and saw Breeden's name on the Wall of the Missing.
There was no photo next to Breeden's name.
"I made a silent vow to go after his photo," Slangen said. "A little work compared to his sacrifice."
Slangen said he started with information from the "Fields of Honor" website and found Breeden's hometown was Worley and he was born in Washington. Slangen contacted The Press and the Idaho Genealogical Society about an obituary. This led him to find Breeden's widow, Margarette Breeden-Talbot, their daughter, Donna Reichelsdorf, and granddaughter Beth Long, all of San Francisco. Slangen was able to make contact with the family and secure a photo of the long-lost hero.
"I was very, very happy when I received Donald's photo," Slangen said. "It felt like a birthday present."
In further research, Slangen did find mention of Breeden in George C. Kuhl's book, "Wrong Place, Wrong Time: The 305th Bomb Group & The 2nd Schweinfurt Raid." Kuhl wrote that Breeden was never found, but in 1948 and '49 an investigation was conducted.
"Two German civilians, who had been at the scene of the crash, stated a third civilian, who was present, had placed the indefinable, torn remains of what he believed to have been two deceased persons into separate wooden coffins," the book reads. "The two Germans testified the remains found lying about the crash site comprised more than two bodies. On 11 April, 1951, a board of review recommended the remains of the decedent be determined nonrecoverable. Though not proven, Lt. Breeden may have inadvertently been put to rest with his two fellow officers."
Slangen said the family never had any information from the government about what might have happened to Breeden. But now, thanks to Slangen's work, they have an idea of Breeden's fate, and his face can now accompany his name on the Wall of the Missing.
"I can imagine it is difficult to start a contact over 70 years of silence," Slangen said. "I shared the photo with other groups that want to keep their memory alive like Faces of Margraten, Fields of Honor, Airwar 40-45 and the American Air Museum in Great Britain.
“Don't sit on your knowledge but hand it on. Keep their sacrifice alive."
Learn more about Slangen's research on Breeden: www.jachthoornblazers.nl/JHB/Wim-Slangen-Donald-P-Breeden.html