MISSING: A World War II Story of Love, Friendship, Courage, and Survival

On the ninth day of the brutal Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, 2nd Lt. Donald N. Evans, a young American fighter pilot, flew his P-47 Thunderbolt over the icy forests of Belgium. The mission was routine—until enemy fire ripped through his aircraft. With only seconds to spare, Don bailed out of his burning plane, parachuting into the bitter cold and snow-covered chaos below. He landed behind enemy lines, wounded and alone, with a shattered leg and no clear direction to safety.

In the unforgiving wilderness of the Ardennes Forest, Don crawled and limped through snowdrifts, driven only by willpower and the hope of surviving. On Christmas Eve, he found shelter beneath a pine tree. He was starving, freezing, and completely isolated. All around him, artillery echoed through the hills, and enemy patrols searched the woods. He lay silent, consumed by pain and fear, unsure whether he’d ever see his family or homeland again.

But Don’s journey was just beginning.

Soon after, he was discovered and captured by German SS troops—the most feared paramilitary arm of the Nazi regime. Alongside hundreds of other American prisoners, Don was forced to endure a brutal 200-mile march through enemy territory in the depths of winter. Weak from injury and hunger, he was pushed to his physical and emotional limits. The prisoners endured freezing temperatures, constant abuse from guards, and total uncertainty about their fate. Many didn’t survive. Those who did, like Don, were later imprisoned in German POW camps, where survival became a daily battle of endurance and inner strength.

That Don Evans survived is nothing short of a miracle. But his story isn’t only one of suffering—it’s also one of profound love, loyalty, and human connection.

Born into poverty in a small American town, Don was the classic all-American boy. He was a natural leader, student body president, a gifted athlete, and deeply optimistic about the future. At eighteen, he enrolled in college and fell in love with his high school sweetheart, Laura Jeanne. They were young, hopeful, and full of dreams for the life they planned to build together.

Then came December 1941. The attack on Pearl Harbor pulled America into the war, and Don, like so many others, answered the call to serve. Before shipping out to Europe, he and Laura Jeanne married, clinging to the belief that love would survive—even through the fires of war.

Don became part of the 368th Fighter Group of the Ninth Air Force. There, he formed an unbreakable bond with four other young pilots, calling themselves simply “The Five.” Together, they flew dangerous missions over Nazi-occupied territory, supporting ground troops and risking their lives daily. Their brotherhood—built in the skies over Europe—provided strength, courage, and a deep emotional connection in the face of constant danger.

One of the most intimate and moving elements of Don’s story is the series of letters he and Laura Jeanne exchanged during the war. These deeply personal letters reveal their unwavering love, their fears, their dreams, and the emotional lifeline that kept them going. Through their words, readers gain a rare, firsthand glimpse into the emotional toll of war—not only for the soldiers on the front lines, but also for those waiting anxiously back home.

The story of MISSING is crafted through a rich blend of firsthand letters, journal entries, mission reports, and interviews. It offers not just historical facts but a deeply human portrait of a young couple swept up in world-changing events. It explores themes of love, friendship, sacrifice, and survival in one of history’s darkest chapters.

By war’s end, Don returned home forever changed—scarred in body and spirit, but alive. His reunion with Laura Jeanne was the fulfillment of a promise whispered across oceans and battlefields, a testament to the endurance of hope and love. The young man who had once huddled alone beneath a pine tree in a frozen forest had come home—not unchanged, but unbroken.

MISSING is more than a war story. It is a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit, the power of love to sustain us, and the friendships that give us strength when everything else is stripped away. In a time of global darkness, Don Evans’ story shines as a beacon of courage and humanity