SEVENTH GENERATION

94. Donald Ray SCHARFF (1)(13) (photo) was born on Mar 21 1917 in Searsboro, Poweshiek County, Iowa, USA. He served in the military between Jan 5 1942 and 1945 in Grotaglie, Italy. He died on Dec 13 1991 in Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa, USA. He was buried on Dec 17 1991 in Memorial Lawn Cemetery, Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa, USA. Good Shepherd, Lot 146, Grave 2 He has Ancestral File number LRXG-PRQ. BIO:Donald Served in US Air force 1942-1945. He is a retired farmer.
When in Jr. High, He milked cows on the way to school and on the way home to help pay the bills(during depression). He talked about ice skating to school during the winter.

He was drafted into service to fly helicopters to pick up wounded on the front lines. He decided his only hope was to excel in school, which landed him a Master Sergeant rank as a B24 Mechanic in crew 6-21, 716th Squadron of the 449th Bomb Group of the 15th Air Force in WWII based in Grottaglie Italy.

From 449th.com "The 449th Bomb Group was composed of four Squadrons - the 716th, 717th, 718th, and 719th. The 449th was activated on 1 May 1943 at Davis-Monthan Field near Tucson, Arizona. The first morning report was issued on 27 May 1943. The strength of the Group on that date was listed as 52 officers and 33 enlisted men. Over the next 7 months the Group steadily increased to full strength as the training program progressed. On 1 July 1943 the Group was moved to Alamogordo, New Mexico. On 6 September 1943 the Group was again relocated, this time to Bruning Field, Nebraska. The move to Bruning was completed on 18 September 1943. At that time the 449th consisted of a total complement of 184 officers and 1,203 enlisted men.
At Bruning the 449th was equipped with some 62 B-24 aircraft. Each aircraft required a crew of 10 men. By December 1943, training was complete and the 449th was ordered overseas to the European theater. Each crew flew its aircraft over seas by a route which took them to southern Florida, then to Puerto Rico and thence to Brazil. The Atlantic crossing was made from Brazil to Dakar, Africa. From Dakar the planes flew north to Tunis by way of Marrakech. From Tunis they flew to their forward operating base at Grottaglie Field near Taranto, Italy.
When the first element of the 449th Bomb Group’s air echelon arrived in late December they found a bombed out base in very poor condition. Much effort was spent making the base habitable." "The 449th operated from Grottaglie from January 1944 until the end of the war in Europe in May 1945. From Grottaglie , the 449th flew a total of 254 combat missions against targets in central and Eastern Europe."

Don held rank of Master Sergeant and was one of the Crew Chief of Crew 6-21 of the 716th Squadron of the 449th Bomb Group. He was awarded 13 Bronze Stars for his service.

Don was one of the crew of 10 who flew the planes from Texas South over South America to Africa up to Egypt. He was part of initial crew dropped at Grottaglie to prepare the runway so that planes could land. He had to make tools to repair equipment, figure out how to operate Italian Dozers, etc. While there, they slept under a fully loaded bomber when a bolt of lightning went through the bomb bay and blew a hole in the concrete, but did not discharge the bombs (one of his God's looking after him events).

He was married to Bonita Joyce NAPIER (daughter of Floyd Henry NAPIER and Averil Bernice WILSON) on Feb 14 1948 in Wesley Methodist Church, Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa, USA. Bonita Joyce NAPIER(1) (photo) was born on Oct 24 1925 in Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa, USA. She was educated High School Graduate in 1943 in Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa, USA. She died on Jan 8 2005 in Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa, USA. She was buried on Jan 12 2005 in Memorial Lawn Cemetery, Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa, USA. She has Ancestral File number L5NK-4ZM. BIO:Born in grandmother's house at 112 W. Finley in Ottuwma , IA. South Oak Towers now stands on that location. We lived on South Ransom St. in Ottumwa until I was 1 year old . We then moved to the corner of Greenwood and Wildwood Streets. This had been the Ottumwa Floral Home, and there were many beautiful flowers. We had four acres and there were only two or three houses to the mile. Now the houses stand side by side. In 1936 we moved to 821 W Second St. and Ilived there until 1948 when I married Donald Ray Scharf f.
Graduated OHS(Ottumwa) in 1943. Attended Ottumwa Business College. Contacted Polio in 1926(summer Complaint) - Diagnosed in 1943. Told she would never walk without crutches . Her father unexpededly died in Sept 1944. Girl Scout leader 10yr olds until 1972. Taught Sunday School at Wesley Methodist Church 1957-1979. Worked at Claussing Mfg(Metal Lathe Mfg) in the office. Then Ottumwa Courier in 1946(Classified Secretary-Proofreader). Harper & McIntire wholesale in 1947. Worked at H&R Block 1968-1994, and then Income Tax from home. Donald Ray SCHARFF and Bonita Joyce NAPIER had the following children:

child+274 i. Floyd Edward SCHARFF.
child+275 ii. Cora Lea SCHARFF.
child+276 iii. Anne Marie SCHARFF.
child+277 iv. Joyce Louise SCHARFF.
child+278 v. John Wayne SCHARFF.

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