Leo P Makelky

Military
Staff Sergeant Leo P Makelky, a ball turret gunner of the 95th Bomb Group with his B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-97232 ) nicknamed "Sandy's Refueling Boys", August 1944. Image via Albert Keeler, 95th Bomb Group. Written on slide casing: 'S/Sgt Makelky a ball turret gunner 412 BS.' media-387801.jpg FRE 5849 Staff Sergeant Leo P Makelky, a ball turret gunner of the 95th Bomb Group with B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-97232 ) nicknamed "Sandy's Refueling Boys", August 1944. Image via Albert Keeler, 95th Bomb Group. Written on slide casing: 'S/Sgt Makelky a ball turret gunner 412 BS.' Roger Freeman Collection

Co-pilot Albert Keeler's colored pictures featured on this page showed his fellow crewmen of the "Full House" (42-97797), Many of them showing the gunners near their respective positions on the B17 (including my father near the ball turret). The officers were often pictured near engines or the nose of the aircraft. In some of these photos the nose art "Sandy's Refueling Boys" (42-97232) can clearly be seen in the background which has resulted in the erroneous thinking the Dancisin/Keeler crew flew this airplane (see the captions beneath the photos). My father's recollection and the official records indicate the crew of the "Full House" never flew in "Sandy's Refueling Boys." It was just a handy aircraft at the time that Albert took this collection of photos since their "Full House" had been shot down while they were on leave. - Mark Makelky

Object Number - FRE 5849 - Staff Sergeant Leo P Makelky, a ball turret gunner of the 95th Bomb Group with B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-97232 ) nicknamed "Sandy's...

Shuttle to Russia-2nd. 35 combat missions from 4 April to 25 August 1944. Flew on Full House (42-97797) for 29 of 35 completed missions.



DFC/ AM w/ 4 Oak Leaf Cluster/ Russia VM/ 3 PUC

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 95th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Full House
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron 412th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Mandan, North Dakota 1 August 1924

Revisions

Date
ContributorFullHouse
Changes
Sources

Photos from veteran Leo Makelky added - Mark Makelky

Date
ContributorFullHouse
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Add picture of Full House

Date
ContributorFullHouse
Changes
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Information provided by veteran Leo Makelky to son Mark Makelky

Date
ContributorSJolley
Changes
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Associated aircraft using information from associated photograph of individual.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self/see Bomber command by Ethel page 116-120

Leo P Makelky: Gallery (4 items)