Harold J Kelsen

Military
A bomber crew of the 401st Bomb Group with their new B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed for publication 12 Dec 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'RF.' Printed caption on reverse: 'Flying Fortress Crew Back In Action Following Crash On English Village. Photo Shows:- Some of the crew walking from their new ship at a station "somewhere in England". L.-R.:- T/Sgt. William D. Woodward, top-turret gunner, of Georgetown, South Carolina; Sergeant Waldon D. Cohen, Ball-turret gunner, of Altoona, Pennsylvania; Sgt. H media-414260.jpg FRE 8083 A bomber crew of the 401st Bomb Group with their new B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed for publication 12 Dec 1943.

Handwritten caption on reverse: 'RF.' Printed caption on reverse: 'Flying Fortress Crew Back In Action Following Crash On English Village. Photo Shows:- Some of the crew walking from their new ship at a station "somewhere in England".
L.-R.:- T/Sgt. William D. Woodward, top-turret gunner, of Georgetown, South Carolina;
Sergeant Waldon D. Cohen, Ball-turret gunner, of Altoona, Pennsylvania;
Sgt. Harold J. Kelsen, waist-gunner, of Brooklyn, N.Y.;
Lieutenant Wardlaw Hammond, co-pilot, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
Lieutenant Walter B. Keith, pilot of Hodgeville, Kentucky;
S/Sgt. Benhanmin C. Musser, radio operator, of Quarryville, Pennsylvania;
and Sgt. Robert V. Kerr, tail-gunner of Montesano, Washington.

Gai. December 11th. 1943. PN.' Censor no: 264492. On reverse: Planet News Ltd. and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps]. Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 8083 - A bomber crew of the 401st Bomb Group with their new B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed for publication 12 Dec 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse:...

B-17G #42-31202 turned back at mid-channel on an operational mission on 9 Mar 1944 and the a/c ran off the runway upon landing. RTD.



5 December 1943 AC B-17#42-39825 'Zenobia El Elephante 2' stalled and exploded on ground 20 minutes later. Crew had escaped and villagers warned so no civilian casualties and crew returned.

Connections

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Units served with

A pathfinder B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8258) of the 401st Bomb Group. Image by Robert Astrella. Written on slide casing: '48258 14 A, Mount Farm.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Fitch's Bandwagon
  • Unit: 2nd Strategic Air Depot 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
Civillians with the wreck of a crashed B-17 Flying Fortress of the 401st Bomb Group. Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 6 Dec 1943.' [stamp] and '295794.' [Censor no.] A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse however this has been removed. Handwritten caption on reverse: '5/12/43 B-17 Crash 401 BG.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Zenobia El Elephante
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron

Places

Revisions

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Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces, Losses of 8th & 9th AFs Vol I by Bishop & Hey pp. 409-10 w/ crew pix, http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=500

Harold J Kelsen: Gallery (2 items)