Edward J Kelley | American Air Museum

Edward J Kelley Jr

Military

media-13618.jpeg UPL 13618 LT Edward J. Kelley
Bombardier
Lowell H. Watts Crew
388th BG - 562nd BS

Chris Brassfield

Object Number - UPL 13618 - LT Edward J. Kelley Bombardier Lowell H. Watts Crew 388th BG - 562nd BS

On the return from a mission to Klein Machnow, Berlin on 6 Mar 1944, B-17G #42-37886 'Blitzing Betsy' was severely damaged by attacks from several FW190s causing it to collide with another 388th B-17, exploding in mid-air and crashing near Emmen, Holland. Prisoner of War (POW).

POW

Connections

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Units served with

388th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

562nd Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

People

Donald Willis Taylor

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 16150159
Highest Rank: Technician Third Grade
Role/Job: waist gunner, Tail Gunner

Lowell Hoyt Watts

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-742396
Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

42-37886

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Nicknames: Blitzing Betsy
Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron

Places

Knettishall

Site type: Airfield

Stalag Luft I

Site type: Prisoner of war camp
Known as: Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Enlisted	New York, New York	9 January 1942	Enlisted as an Aviation Cadet
Other Shot Down	Klazienaveen, Netherlands	6 March 1944	Bailed out. Made POW
Died	Alexandria, VA, USA	16 January 2000	Colonel Kelley retired in 1994 after a long career with the Department of Defense, including military service as an officer with the United States Army Air Corps and the United States Air Force, as well as civilian service with the United States Navy. He retired from the Air Force on November 1, 1967 after a career of 26 years, including service as a combat aviator in Europe in World War II. Col. Kelley was shot down during the first daylight bombing raid on Berlin. His aircraft was shot down by a German Focke Wolf 190 piloted by the German bomber ace, Capt. Hugh Frey, who had been decorated by Hitler. Capt. Frey was shot down by Col. Kelley as his B-17 was being attacked. Col. Kelley was a POW in Stalag Luft 1 in Germany from March, 1944 through June, 1945.
Buried	White Plains, NY, USA	20 January 2000	Mount Calvary Cemetery White Plains Westchester County New York, USA
Born	Mount Vernon, NY, USA
Other POW	Barth, Germany		Stalag Luft I