Leroy Lester Mace
Military
Rear L-R: 2Lt Robert H Halpin, Capt Jack B Fawcett, Capt Norman Nels Jacobsen, Brig Gen Robert F Travis, Lt Col William R Calhoun, 1Lt Darrell D Gust.
Front L-R: S/Sgt Harley F Jennings, T/Sgt George R Keesling, S/Sgt Leroy L "Shorty" Mace, T/Sgt Kenneth P Fitzsimmons, S/Sgt Albert C Santella.
Object Number - UPL 37998 - "Lead crew on bombing mission to Oscheraleben, Germany, beside the Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" 'The 8 Ball'. 303rd Bomb Group. England, 11 January...
Assigned to 359BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. Completed tour with 8AF. Returned to 15AF for 2nd tour.
"My most memorable mission was Schweinfurt, 14-Oct-43 also known as Black Thursday. After serving 25 missions with the 8th AF I was sent home. I then went back to Italy and flew 21 missions with the 15th AF and was wounded twice, and sent home. I flew as a ball turret gunner in the famous 'knock out dropper' on my 10th (Schweinfurt) mission."
Awards: DFC, AM (5OLC), PH (OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (4 battle stars), Campaign Medal.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Knock-out Dropper
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
Missions
![Three B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 94th Bomb Group are attacked by a Nazi Fighter aircraft during a mission. Printed caption on reverse of print: 'A-62641 USAF: Nazi fighter plane attacking Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortresses" during a bomb run over enemy installations somewhere in Europe, 10 September 1944. 100th[sic] Bomb Group, 3rd Bomb Division. U.S. Air Force Photo.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-408505.jpg.webp?itok=zJwHCUjh)
- Date: 14 October 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Pekin, Illinois | 8 October 1916 | Son of LeRoy and Mary [McMillan] Mace. |
|
Enlisted |
Peoria, IL | 16 June 1942 | |
|
Died |
Peoria, IL | 27 February 2016 | |
|
Based |
Molesworth | Assigned to 359BS, 303BG, 8AF USAAF. | |
|
Buried |
Glendale Memorial Gardens, Pekin, IL | Glendale Memorial Gardens Pekin, Tazewell County, IL |
Revisions
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / friend/303rd Roster/self
