Adolph Bernard Chilek
MilitaryShot down 18 April 1944 in B-17 #42-37902 'Sure Thing' while manning the ball turret. He would become a POW, but survive the war and return safely back to Texas.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-694638
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37544827
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-741509
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37418829
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-804659
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
![The wreck of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "El Lobo" of the 390th Bomb Group. On reverse: Roger Anthoine [Stamp].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-414135.jpg.webp?itok=kAv9mAjy)
Missions
- Date: 18 April 1944
- Date: 13 April 1944
- Date: 12 April 1944
- Date: 11 April 1944
- Date: 10 April 1944
Places
![A bomber crew of the 390th Bomb Group with their B-17 Flying Fortress ( serial number 42-31027) nicknamed "Honey Chile" and their dog and monkey mascots "Scrappy" and "Joe". Image stamped on reverse: ‘Fox.’ [stamp], ‘passed for publication 25 Oct 1943.’ [stamp] and ‘289774.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: ‘AERIAL MASCOTS OF FORTRESS CREWS. PH/MoN. As frisky and friendly a pair of aerial mascots as you'll find in Britain are "Scrappy" and "Joe", pup and monkey team belonging to the](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380433.jpg.webp?itok=L7HbOA_i)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Parham
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Wharton, Texas, USA | 8 January 1922 | |
|
Enlisted |
Houston, Texas, USA | 8 October 1942 | |
|
Other Shot down |
Barnewitz, Germany | 18 April 1944 | Shot down over a mission to Oranienburg, Germany, while on B-17 42-37902, while serving as the ball turret gunner on the aircraft. Would later become a POW. |
|
Other Prisoner of War |
Stalag XVII-B, Austria | 18 April 1944 | After being taken prisoner, Chilek would spend the remainder of the war at Stalag XVII-B. |
|
Other Discharged |
9 October 1945 | ||
|
Died |
Houston, Texas, USA | 15 April 2007 | |
|
Buried |
Evergreen Memorial Park, Wharton, Texas, USA | 15 April 2007 | |
|
Based |
Framlingham | Assigned to the 568BS, 390BG, 8AF. |
Revisions
ContributorCastleBren
ChangesChanges to middlename, service number, highest rank, biography, awards, events, person associations, unit associations, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations
Sources
390th Bomb Group records
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4013 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database