42-29553 | American Air Museum in Britain

Delivered Denver 3/1/43; Salina 9/1/43; Homestead 18/2/43; Assigned 366BS/305BG [KY-D] Chelveston 4/3/43; Missing in Action Gelsenkirchen 12/8/43 with Wright Gerke, Co-pilot: Tom Reade, Navigator: Joe Costa, Bombardier: Jack Little, Ball turret gunner: Ed Keesling, Waist gunner: Joe Rowlison, Waist gunner: Herb Kalwa,Tail gunner: Joe Hall (8 Killed in Action); Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Harry Fullerton, Radio Operator: Jim Chalker (2 Prisoner of War); flak & enemy aircraft, crashed near Munchen-Gladbach, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 252. ARKIE II.

Service

Units

305th Bomb Group Can Do

Group
The 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), nicknamed "Can Do" was activated 1-March-1942 at Salt Lake City Air Base, Utah which was their primary training base until 11-Jun-1942 when they relocated to Geiger Field, Washington until 29-Jun-1942, then on to...
366th Bomb Squadron

Squadron

People

James Chalker

Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio Operator | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #4229553 'Arkie. ' Prisoner of War (POW).
Joseph Costa

Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #4229553 'Arkie. ' Killed in Action (KIA).
Harry Fullerton

Military | Technical Sergeant | Top Turret Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #42-29553 'Arkie', Prisoner of War (POW). POW
Wright Gerke

Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 366BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 12-Aug-43 in B-17 42-29553 'Arkie'. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 252 Awards: AM, PH.
Joseph Hall

Military | Staff Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #4229553 'Arkie. ' Killed in Action (KIA).
Herbert Kalwa

Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 366BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down 12-Aug-43 in B-17 42-29553 'Arkie'. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 252 Awards: PH.
Edward Keesling

Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #4229553 'Arkie. ' Killed in Action (KIA).
Jack Little

Military | Second Lieutenant | Bombardier | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Assigned to 366BS, 305BG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) Gelsenkirchen 12-Aug-43; shot down 12-Aug-43 in B-17 42-29553 'Arkie'. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 252 Awards: AM, PH.
Thomas Read

Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #4229553 'Arkie. ' Killed in Action (KIA).
Joe Rowlison

Military | Sergeant | Left Waist Gunner, Waist Gunner | 305th Bomb Group Can Do
Shot down 12 August 1943 in B-17 #4229553 'Arkie. ' Killed in Action (KIA).

Missions

VIII Bomber Command 81

12 August 1943
This mission is separated into two elements. The first element is a combined force of 183 B-17s from 1st Bomb Division: 91BG (22); 92BG (19); 303BG (20); 305BG (20); 306BG (20); 351BG (21); 379BG (21); 381BG (20); and 384BG (20) are dispatched to bomb...

Places

Chelveston

Military site : airfield
Chelveston was adapted and expanded in preparation for the arrival of American forces. Rather than heavy bombers, the first aircraft to fly from its runways were C-47 Skytrains that were flown by the 60th Troop Carrier Group in July 1942. The first...

Events

Event	Location	Date
Failed to Return (FTR)	Germany	12 August 1943

Date	Contributor	Update
27 September 2014 18:40:22	AAM	AAM ingest
Sources
Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 252 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database