Keith L Hafen
Military ROLL OF HONOUR22-Feb-43 Assigned to the 303BG/358BS at Molesworth, UK as a Co-Pilot of the 2LT James R. Dunn crew.
31-Mar-43 Killed in Action (KIA) while serving as the Co-Pilot of B-17F #42-29573 "Two Beauts", 303BG/358BS in mid-air collision with B-17F #41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG 360BS during assembly for a mission to bomb the shipyards at Rotterdam, Holland. This occured less than an hour from takeoff with each carrying 6 bombs for the mission to Rotterdam. The planes crashed at Mears Ashby and 303rd reports a memorial to the two crews is there.
Paticipated in 2 Operations. See Biography events.
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: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-727194
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 31 March 1943
- Date: 28 March 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Other Assigned to Unit |
Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 22 February 1943 | Assigned as a Co-Pilot with the crew of 2LT James R. Dunn at Molesworth, UK. |
Other Mission #1, 2LT Keith L. Hafen, w/B-17F 42-5432, 303BG/358BS |
Rouen, France | 28 March 1943 | Served as Co-Pilot of B17F 42-5432 'the Hunting Club", 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Roeun, France. RTB OK. |
Other Killed on Mission (KOM) |
Mears Ashby, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN6, UK | 31 March 1943 | Killed when the aircraft sustained a mid-air collision over Mears Ashby during assembly. |
Other Mission #2, 2LT Keith L. Hafen, w/B-17F 42-29573, 303BG/358BS - KOM |
Rotterdam, Netherlands | 31 March 1943 | Served as Co-Pilot of B17F 42-29573 "Two Beauts", 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the shipyards at Rotterdam, Holland. The aircraft sustained a mid-air collision during assembly and crashed. He was Killed on Mission. KOM |
Born |
Washington County, Utah |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Correcting typos in Mission #2 notes.
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added map location to crash location.
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 31-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/027.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 28-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/026.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added Assigned to Unit event per 303BG webiste, Gary Moncur, Historian, James R. Dunn crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/358dunn.html
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added intial assignment info, loss account details and Paricipations statement to Summary Biography per 303BG webiste, Gary Moncur, Historian, James R. Dunn crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/358dunn.html
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2014. Made connections to Place, AIrcraft and Missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, James R. Dunn crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/358dunn.html
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Unit history, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey, p. 94, 303rd web site,, Roster