Charles Albert Felts

Military
media-17466.jpeg UPL 17466 Crew #784
Charles A. Felts Crew
466th BG - 787th BS

Standing Left to Right: Charles Dondes (N), Edmond Cody Hall (CP), Charles A. Felts (P), Edwin N. Kimmel (B)

Kneeling Left to Right: Edward J. Weidner (WG), Martin Tarlosky (NG), Merritt W. McLaughlin (FE), Clinton E. Swanson (TG), Harry J. Bender (WG), Marvin Allard (R/O)

The man peering out from behind the nose wheel is not identified.

This crew completed 17 combat missions before hostilities ended. The tour included being shot down and bailing out over Allied held Valkenburg, Netherlands on 12 March 1945. All the crew safely parachuted and returned to combat. 466th Bomb Group collection

466th BG Historian

Object Number - UPL 17466 - Crew #784 Charles A. Felts Crew 466th BG - 787th BS Standing Left to Right: Charles Dondes (N), Edmond Cody Hall (CP), Charles A. Felts (P),...

Mar 12 '45: entire crew bailed out of B-24 #4440357 over Valkenburg, Holland after returning from raid on Friedberg, Ger. Returned 50 year later for a reunion. The pilot's window in its metal frame was donated to the 8th AF museum in a ceremony at the museum.

Connections

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Units served with

Three little girls hold up a balloon celebrating the 100th mission of the 466th Bomb Group in front of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95592) nicknamed "Black Cat". Handwritten caption on reverse: 'On our 100 Mission party Day- 18 Aug 1944, Attlebridge, 466th- wouldn't it be something if we could identify these girls? How could I do it?'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33836332
  • Highest Rank: Technician Fourth Grade
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-1640396
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-2015316
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-785688
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Hard Luck
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 493rd Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron 862nd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Aerial photograph of Attlebridge airfield, looking north, the fuel store and a T2 hangar are in the upper centre, 31 January 1946. Photograph taken by No. 90 Squadron, sortie number RAF/3G/TUD/UK/51. English Heritage (RAF Photography).
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Attlebridge Arsenal, Station 120

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Madisonville, KY, USA 14 August 1921

Other

466th BG Combat Tour

Attlebridge, Norwich, Norfolk NR9, UK 9 February 1945 - 25 April 1945

Died

Winter Haven, FL, USA 31 October 2011 Lt. Col. Charles Albert Felts of Winter Haven passed away Monday, October 31, 2011 at the Winter Haven Hospital. He was born August 14, 1921 in Madisonville, KY to the late Albert Garland & Mary Frances (Walsh) Felts of Elkton, KY. In May 2002 "Hezzy", as his friends called him, moved from Elkton, KY to Winter Haven, FL. He was retired, as Post Master, from the U.S. Post Office in 1983. He was a member of the Parkland Baptist Church in Winter Haven. He also retired as a Lt. Col. from the U.S. Air Force, where he served in World War II as a pilot of the B24 Bomber. He was a member of the American Legion for 54 years, played minor league baseball before World War II, and he loved fishing and golf. Recently, a book entitled "Destination Germany" by Jim MacMeekin, was published depicting the 8th Air Force military lives of him and his crew.

Buried

Elkton, KY, USA 4 November 2011 Glenwood Cemetery Elkton Todd County Kentucky, USA
Elkton, KY, USA

Revisions

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

466th BG Historian

Date
Contributorrdondes
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Sources

Serial Number provided by Richard B. Dondes on 28 October 2019.

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
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Sources

466th BG Archives - 4 March 1945 mission formation plan

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
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Sources

466th BG Historian

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
Changes
Sources

466th BG Historian

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dondes son / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Charles Albert Felts: Gallery (1 items)