Francis A Kapler
Military
media-28964.jpeg
UPL 28964
1943 Yearbook Curtis field
1943 Yearbook Curtis field
He initially joined the Army, spending a year training in artillery the switched to the Air Corps for pilot training, being commissioned at Waco TX. In July '44 he and his crew picked up a B-17 crossed the ocean and joined the Group at Great Ashfield where he was to fly on 27 combat missions. On that of August 27 1944 they got out of formation in bad weather, lost two engines and ditched in the Channel. They were spotted by a P-38 and picked up by a British boat some four hours later.
Post war he first became a flying instructor, then ran a restaurant for 28 years.
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
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Poltergeist, Vagabond
- Unit: 385th Bomb Group 550th Bomb Squadron
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Waterloo, IA, USA |