Ben Herbert Phelper
Military
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Object Number - FRE 4906 - Sergeant Ben Phelper, a ball turret gunner of the 385th Bomb Group.
Assigned to 549BS, 385BG, 8AF USAAF. Shot down near Frankfurt, Germany, 17-Aug-43 in B-17 42-5914 'Sack Time', Prisoner of War (POW). He later wrote up his experiences in 'Stalag 17b' ( Link to book - https://bobpenoyer.com/stalag17b.htm ) and was for the rest of his life in poor health because of his incarceration.
Awards: AM, POW, EAME, WWII Victory.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
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: 385th Bomb Group 549th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: FR9542, O-731898
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Sack time, roger wilco
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 549th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag 17b, Krems an der Donau, Austria
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Aurora, Illinois | 25 September 1916 | BornAurora, Illinois |
|
Enlisted |
Chicago, Illinois | 8 September 1942 | EnlistedChicago, Illinois |
|
Prisoner of war Prisoner of War (POW) |
Stalag XVIIb, Krems an der Donau | 17 August 1943 - 1 May 1945 | Interned in POW Camp: Stalag XVIIb Braunau Gneikendorf Near Krems Austria 48-15 |
|
Other Discharged |
2 October 1945 | ||
|
Died |
San Antonio, Texas | 29 September 1993 | DiedSan Antonio, Texas |
|
Buried |
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery San Antonio, Texas | 5 October 1993 | InterredFort Sam Houston National CemeterySan Antonio, Texas |
Revisions
https://www.fold3.com/image/654417142
https://www.fold3.com/image/38296415/42
https://www.fold3.com/record/710805956/phelper-ben-h-us-veterans-graves…
https://www.fold3.com/record/84448371/ben-h-phelper-us-wwii-army-enlist…
https://www.fold3.com/record/624264601/ben-phelper-1916-us-veterans-aff…
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1077699/ben-herbert-phelper
Added POW Camp info to the POW event and a S/N from WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added a connection to Stalag 17B per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).
Added a "-" to the A/C tail # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Added a connection to A/C #42-5914 listed in the "Summary biography".
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 387B
