PART 1 OF 2
PART 2 TO FOLLOWThe Patriot Guard Riders have been invited to accompany United States Army Air Force TSgt Donald V. Banta, 21, of Los Angeles, CA from the airport to the funeral home in preparation to be laid to rest. It will our honor to accompany this repatriated WWII hero from the Greatest Generation.
In early 1944, Banta was assigned to the 703rd Bombardment Squadron, 445th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force in the European Theater. On February 24, Banta, an engineer on-board a B-24J "Liberator," was killed in action when his plane was hit by heavy anti-aircraft fire over Gotha, Germany. One of the surviving crewmembers reported seeing the plane on fire and in a steep dive, before eventually exploding on the ground. While two crewmembers survived, the others, including Banta, were killed in the incident. German forces garrisoned in the area documented the crash site north of Leimbach Bahnhof, near Bad Salzungen, Germany. After the crash, German troops recovered the remains of the ball turret gunner and buried them in a local cemetery. The other six crewmembers, including Banta, were unaccounted for following the war.
In March 1952, the American Graves Registration Command (AGRC), the organization that searched for and recovered fallen American personnel in the European Theater, took custody of commingled unidentified remains recovered from Bad Salzungen Cemetery. These remain were believed to be those belonging to Banta's downed aircraft. At the time, identification of these remains was not possible, and they were interred in the Ardennes American Cemetery, Belgium.
In June 2021, DPAA historians and American Battle Monuments Commission personnel exhumed remains from Ardennes American Cemetery and transferred them to the DPAA Laboratory for analysis and identification. To identify Banta's remains, scientists from Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) used anthropological analysis. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
On September 26, 2023, TSgt Donald V. Banta, 21, USAAF, killed during World War II, was accounted for by the DPAA.
TSgt Banta's name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Hombourg, Belgium, along with others still missing from WWII. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
TSgt Banta will be buried at Riverside National Cemetery on July 29, 2024, 80 years after his death. Details to follow.
NOTE: This mission posting is to facilitate your voluntary participation in honoring this military veteran. For those interested, and all PGR members are welcome, we will be accompanying this WWII hero from the airport to the mortuary approximately 15 miles. Please see the timetable if you would like to participate. For those who would rather go directly to the mortuary, we will meet you there.
TIMETABLE FOR THURSDAY, 25 JULY 20241400: Stage at Jack in the Box, 1840 Holt Blvd, Ontario, CA.
https://goo.gl/maps/6c3uXitkwRywEtk661430: Mission briefing.
1500: Move to arrival location.
1530: KSU to Arlington Mortuary, 9645 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/H5wK4yiakcnsGTVQ81615: ETA to mortuary with dignified transfer of hero from coach to the building.
TOM BARRY
California PGR State Captain
casc@patriotguard.org714-206-1227
You do not have to be a veteran or a motorcycle rider to attend this mission. All PGR members are welcome. We encourage those who do not ride to attend in your car. If this will be your first mission go to the initial staging area and you will be briefed there by the Ride Captain (RC). Dress for motorcycle riding or dress casually if you are driving a cage (car). Please feel free to attend any portion of this mission you can. Please ride/drive safely.
