44-40243 Tender Foot

media-13512.jpeg UPL 13512

Removed association to Alfred Mousette, according to Mousette's obituary on Find a Grave Mousette's assigned aircraft was 44-40205 "The Moose", and as such he is unlikely to have been pictured with 44-40243. Mousette was lost in 44-40243 on 5 June 1944.

Object Number - UPL 13512

Shot down by Flak right after dropping its bombs. Aircraft in flames partially evacuated before exploding in flight. 7 KIA. 3 POW. MACR 5633.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

A Pathfinder B-24 Liberator (V2-P+, serial number 42-51691) of the 491st Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '491 BG supplying troops at Arnhem, Sept 1944.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group 853rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
Robert Albert Keller
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group 853rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12187407
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group 853rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Flight Officer
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group 853rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Flight Officer
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 491st Bomb Group 853rd Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Places

Missions

  • Date: 5 June 1944
  • Official Description:
  • Date: 4 June 1944
  • Official Description:

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

Landrethun-le-Nord, France 5 June 1944 Crashed in the Lac de Blacourt, commune of Landrethun-le-Nord, Pas-de-Calais, France.

Revisions

Date
ContributorWalterC
Changes
Sources

Change - Mission 391 added

Source: My father-in-law, Robert Albert Keller's personal diary.   

*** These 2 entries in his diary were written July 20,1945 after his liberation on May 2,1945

June 4, 1944:

The groups second mission; our first. The target was St. Gabriel, France. Encountered no flak & no fighters. Quick & easy mission.

 

June 5, 1944:

Our second mission. The target was Boulogne, France. We got over the target about 9:10 AM & were shot down about 9:20 AM. Flak hit our #1 & #2 engines & caused our engines, wind, bomb-bay & command deck to burst into flames. Moose gave the order to bail out. I think I was the first to get out. We were at 27,600 ft. when the order to bail was given. I got down safely in a wheat field that outskirted a Nazi held town. I was down only a few minutes when I was surrounded & captured by the German infantry guards. My engineer also got out of that ship & was picked-up shortly after I was. We were kept in solitary in different civilian prisons throughout France & Belgium. We were also interrogated at these different places.

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 5039

Date
ContributorTimothy McKeown
Changes
Sources

Ringmasters: The 491st Bombardment Group (H). Dallas: Taylor Publishing Co. (1992).

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

MACR 5633 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

44-40243: Gallery (2 items)