• Article Photo. Donald Springer, right, survived being shot down, prison camp and 24-hour marches during WWII.
    Donald Springer, right, survived being shot down, prison camp and 24-hour marches during WWII.
  • Article Photo. Robert Roese of Keystone enjoys a moment at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. Sept. 14.
    Robert Roese of Keystone enjoys a moment at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. Sept. 14.
  • Article Photo. Irvin Junge, right, poses with his family and Frances Conway (front) at end of Honor Flight.
    Irvin Junge, right, poses with his family and Frances Conway (front) at end of Honor Flight.
  • Article Photo. Paul Kelly of Van Horne was escorted by his son, Thomas, during Honor Flight and at WWII Memorial.
    Paul Kelly of Van Horne was escorted by his son, Thomas, during Honor Flight and at WWII Memorial.
  • Article Photo. Guardian Gary Kaiser and WWII vet Louis Kaiser (standing) pose with vet Arthur Haverly of CR.
    Guardian Gary Kaiser and WWII vet Louis Kaiser (standing) pose with vet Arthur Haverly of CR.

Donald Springer, the father of Bill Springer of rural Garrison and the grandfather of Vinton-Shellsburg high school student Maddie Springer, defied death several times before coming home from Europe at the end of World War II.

Springer, a navigator on a bombing crew, was in a plane that was shot down while trying to bomb a ball bearing plant.

He was part of the mission that is remembered in World War II history as "Black Thursday." That name was given to the mission over Schweinfurt, Germany, because of the high number of planes shot down in August of 1943.

The crew bailed out, and parachuted safely to land, where they were captured by Germans.

Springer, an officer, and survived more than two years in a German POW camp. 

"They separated the officers from the others," he recalls. He later learned that the rest of the crew was fine.

Springer was a POW for more than two years. He was finally rescued when American and Russian forces converged on his captors, forcing them to flee. 

But being rescued from a POW camp did not mean going home.

"General Patten told us we'd be going home," recalls Springer. 

Two weeks later, he was still in Europe. 

Springer said that although the war in Europe was ending, he was told that despite all he had been through, to get ready to be sent to the Pacific, to help end the war with Japan. 

But V-J Day came before Springer went to the Pacific. He returned home, and spent a career in the refrigeration business, starting his own company.

He and his crew gathered together many times for reunions in the years following World War II.

Now, however, Springer believes he could be the sole survivor of his flight crew. 

"Maybe the pilot is still alive. I don't know," he said Tuesday, as he sat on a concrete bench at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. 

Not every World War II veteran has a story like Springer's.

But every World War II veteran has a story. 

"There are a lot of stories on this plane," said guardian Janet Washburn of Colorado, who flew to Iowa to join her father, James White of Anamosa, who served in the Army Corps of Engineers, building bridges, roads and hospitals to support Alllied Troops. White came home and continued that kind of work. He was an REC lineman for four decades and served on the Anamosa City Council, offering his expertise to help with city planning and flood control efforts, said Washburn.

In the past week, many of the 99 Iowa World War II veterans who participated in the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight have been telling their stories to families, newspapers and other veterans. 

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The Eastern Iowa Honor Flight sent two groups of veterans to Washington, D.C.. The organization is preparing and fund-raising for more trips in 2011. World War II veterans are encouraged to apply for this free trip. Visit www.eihonorflight.org for more information.