Albert Thaddeus Keeler
Military
Co-pilot Albert Keeler's colored pictures featured on this page showed him and his fellow crewmen of the "Full House" (42-97797), Many of them showing the gunners near their respective positions on the B17 (including my father near the ball turret). The officers were often pictured near engines or the nose of the aircraft. In some of these photos the nose art "Sandy's Refueling Boys" (42-97232) can clearly be seen in the background which has resulted in the erroneous thinking the Dancisin/Keeler crew flew this airplane (see the captions beneath the photos). My father's recollection and the official records indicate the crew of the "Full House" never flew in "Sandy's Refueling Boys." It was just a handy aircraft at the time that Albert took this collection of photos since their "Full House" had been shot down while they were on leave. - Mark Makelky
Object Number - FRE 5844 - Lieutenant Albert Keeler a co- pilot of the 95th Bomb Group with the B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-97232 ) nicknamed "Sandy's Refueling...
Assigned to 412BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. 35 x combat missions. ETD
Awards: DFC, AM (4OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 12093815 / O-?
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Stevensville, PA | 24 February 1922 | Son of Eugene and Mabel Grey [Vandemark] Keeler. |
|
Enlisted |
Nashville, TN, USA | 1 March 1943 | At Nashville Air Corps Facilities |
|
Died |
5 October 2006 | ||
|
Buried |
8 October 2006 | Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Virginia Section 11, Site 484-2 | |
|
Based |
Horham | Assigned to 412BS, 95BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
NARA enlistment record: https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=4&cat=all&tf…
Correspondence with Lt. Col. Keeler's daughter, Martha.
Albert's colored pictures featured on this page showed his fellow crewmen of the "Full House" (42-97797), Many of them showing the gunners near their respective positions on the B17 (including my father near the ball turret). The officers were often pictured near engines or the nose of the aircraft. In some of these photos the nose art "Sandy's Refueling Boys" (42-97232) can clearly be seen in the background which has resulted in people erroneously thinking the Dancisin/Keeler crew flew this airplane (see the captions beneath the photos). My father's recollection and the official records indicate the crew of the "Full House" never flew in "Sandy's Refueling Boys." It was just a handy aircraft at the time that Albert took this collection of photos. - Mark Makelky
My father, Leo Makelky, was the ball turret gunner on George Dancisin/Albert Keeler piloted aircraft (which was usually the "Full House" #42-97797). He told me this series of color photos taken by Albert (Rube) Keeler were rather rare in WW2. Albert had a brother who worked for Kodak in New York state and provided the color film which was used to take them. - Mark Makelky
Associated photographs sent to Roger Freeman by Albert Keeler to Albert's entry.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://95thbg.org/95th_db_pages/left_formation_code/gethonoroll.php
