An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

100th Anniversary Logo with the 100 in large letters and the museum logo
Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week.
FREE Admission & Parking

A Successful Evasion

Second Lt. Ralph K. Patton, a B-17 copilot, was one of thousands to evade capture with the help of the citizens and the Allied intelligence network in western Europe. Shot down by enemy fighters and anti-aircraft fire over western France on Jan. 5, 1944, he evaded for three days until picked up by the Resistance. After being shuffled from one safe house to another along the Shelburne Line for 59 days, a British gunboat picked him up and he returned to England.

Click here to return to Winged Boot: Escape and Evasion in World War II.