FRE 5849
IMAGE
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Staff Sergeant Leo P Makelky, a ball turret gunner of the 95th Bomb Group with B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-97232 ) nicknamed "Sandy's Refueling Boys", August 1944. Image via Albert Keeler, 95th Bomb Group. Written on slide casing: 'S/Sgt Makelky a ball turret gunner 412 BS.'
Connections
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Units
- 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: 12138839 / O-?
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37558902
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: GI Issue : Sandy's Refueling Boys
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron
Revisions
Co-pilot Albert Keeler'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 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