Studiegroep Luchtoorlog 1939-1945

						Sgt. Billy J. Davis was the right waist gunner of B-24 42-51095 ‘Shoo Shoo Baby’. During the mission he was injured at the head by a flak splinter. When the captain gave the order to bail out, other crewmembers helped him into his parachute and pushed him out of the aircraft. He reached the ground alive and was soon joined by 2/Lt. Frederick H Erdmann (E0584), the bombardier. They were approached by Dutch farmers who had witnessed their descent and took care of their gear. Somehow, they indicated Davis and Erdmann to stay put till collected. Shortly thereafter a Dutchman brought Sgt. Frank K. Peichoto (E0587) to where they were hiding in the wheat. In the evening they were all taken to Vollenhove where they were given civilian clothes and some food. Later that night they were joined by 2/Lt. John O. Fullerton (E0585). The next day they were brought to Meppel by car where the airmen stayed for another night and then travelled by train to Amsterdam.

They were taken to a hiding address in the eastern part of the Dutch capital where they were joined by their fellow crewmembers Sgt. Everett Allen (E0580) and Sgt. William Owens (E0586). At this address they were provided with false identity cards and shortly there after they all moved to Zaandam where they stayed for about a week. Food was in short supply here and next to that there were a lot of Germans around. Henk van Cleef and Ernst Smidt van Gelder took care of the six Americans and decided to move them. The group was split and Erdmann, Peichoto and Owens were the first to leave. Escorted by Van Cleef and Smidt van Gelder, they travelled by train to Veghel on July 4. At the station there, they were handed over to members of the Otten family who took the airmen to their home at Kerkstraat 6 in Erp, the so called Pyama House. Fullerton, Allen and Davis followed on July 7, where they joined Peichoto in the safe house of the Otten family. By the time they arrived, Erdmann and Owens had already left (on 5 July) on their way to Belgium via Schijndel and Tilburg. 

At Erp, Davis was treated for his head injury by Doctor Henrar. On July 8, Fullerton and Peichoto left Erp to travel via the eastern route to Belgium. On July 10, it was Davis and Allen’s turn to leave Erp and they followed the western route taken by Erdmann and Owens. Their goal was to reach Brussels to travel on via the Comet escape line. From Tilburg they were taken to Antwerp but unfortunately their Belgian guides worked for the German Gestapo. Both Davis and Allen were arrested in Antwerp on July 21 and became prisoners of war. Their crewmates Erdmann and Owens had already been arrested on July 18. After his arrest, Davis was first taken to a hospital and from there to Stalag Luft IV Gross Tychow.