The 446th Bombardment Group (Heavy) activated for service in World War II on April 1, 1943 at the Davis-Monthan Field in Arizona. They trained stateside with B-14 bombers at Lowry Field, Colorado from June to October of 1943. They shipped out to England in October of 1943. They were stationed at Flixton, England from November of 1943 to July of 1945.
The 446th Bomb Group flew strategic missions on the European Continent from December of 1943 until April of 1945. Targets included industrial locations in Kiel, Bremen, Ludwigshafen, Berlin, Munich, Coblenz, Ulm, and Hamburg, Germany. They were in a support role for the Normandy invasion in June of 1944. They assisted ground troops at Caen and St. Lo, France. They helped provide supplies to Allies in the Netherlands as part of Operation Market Garden in September. They bombed strategic targets during the Battle of the Bulge, from December of 1944 to January of 1945. They delivered supplies to Allied troops during the Rhine River Campaign in March of 1945. They inactivated on August 18, 1945 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Sergeant Paul R. Walder served with the 705th Bomb Squadron, 446th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force of the U.S. Army Air Forces.
Paul Robert Walder was born on March 25, 1925 in Monroe, Green County, Wisconsin to Henry and Louise (Weidman) Walder.
On the 1930 U.S. Census, the Walder family lived in Wiota Township in Lafayette County. The household included father Henry, mother Lillian (sic: Louise) and children Paul and Lewis. Father Henry was born in Switzerland and both of his parents were born in Switzerland. Mother Louise was born in Wisconsin to a father born in Germany and a mother born in Switzerland. Both sons were born in Wisconsin. Father Henry was a cheesemaker working in a cheese factory.
On the 1940 U.S. Census, the family lived in the same house that they lived in during 1935. The household included the same members. Father Henry was working as a Patrolman on County Roads for paid wages.
On December 27, 1943, Paul Robert Walder registered for the WWII Draft. He was 18 and lived with his father at RFD #4 in Darlington. He was unemployed.
In the January 20, 1944 The Capital Times notice titled “16 More Lafayette Men Are Inducted,” the news was that “The names of 16 men who have passed their physical examinations and are awaiting call to the armed forces were announced today by the Lafayette county draft board.” The notice went on to say that “Jerome McCarville, Robert Mottley and Paul Walder, Darlington, are awaiting call as aviation cadets.”
From the Missing Air Crew Reports (MACRs), WWII, 1942-1947 collection, information was recorded as to what happened to Aircraft #41-28814 (a B-24 Liberator) on March 24, 1945. The crew of this aircraft was flying supplies to Wessel, Germany. After dropping the supplies, the aircraft was hit from ground fire, causing a fire to break out on the aircraft. Some of the crew were able to bail out. However, not all survived. The crew of seven members included three who returned and four who were killed in action.
Survivor testimony was recorded by SSG Thaddeus D. Nana and SSG Richard C. Brown. Sgt. John R. Heslin also survived. The plane failed to return. A bail out was ordered but the aircraft entered a flat spin. Crew bailed out, except the pilot and waist gunners. One of the navigators who bailed out had a parachute which failed to open, and he was killed in action. Those who died in the crash were the pilot 2nd Lieutenant Dale D. Beasley, the co-pilot 2nd Lieutenant Thomas E. Campbell, the Flight Officer James H. Anderson, and tail gunners Sergeant Jack. D. Smith and Paul R. Walder.
Sergeant Walder was survived by his father Henry, mother Louise, and brother Lewis.
Sergeant Paul R. Walder was killed in action March 24, 1945 near Wessel, Germany. He was awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster as well as the Purple Heart, awarded posthumously.
Sergeant Walder was buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in Margraten in Eijsden-Margraten Municipality, Limburg, Netherlands.
Sergeant Paul R. Walder is listed on the National WWII Memorial Registry for Lafayette County, Wisconsin.
Thank you, Sergeant Paul Robert Walder, for your service to and ultimate sacrifice for this country. We honor you and remember you.
