Keith Orland Bartlett

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-42270.jpeg UPL 42270 "Crew of the 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, beside the Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" "Ooold Soljer". England, 28 March 1943."

Rear L-R: Lt George V Stallings, 1Lt Keith O Bartlett, Lewis E Lyle, Lt Milton S Fonorow, 1Lt Samuel H Anderson, Capt Percy C Young.

Front L-R: S/Sgt Clayton S Balcombe, T/Sgt Gene K Smith, T/Sgt Frederick A Hartung, S/Sgt Tom McGiffin, S/Sgt Edward A Bradford, S/Sgt Robert H Sangster, T/Sgt Woodrow W Smith.

Object Number - UPL 42270 - "Crew of the 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, beside the Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" "Ooold Soljer". England, 28 March 1943." Rear L-R: Lt...

12-Mar-42 Assigned to 303BG/360BS in B-17F #41-24559 "Ooold Soldier" as 2LT and Co-Pilot. Gowen Field (Boise), Idaho.



12-Jun-42 Unit sent to Alamogordo, New Mexico for Advanced Flight Training. On 24-Jul-42 he was a 1LT and assigned as Co-Pilot with #41-24620 "Snap Crackle Pop", 303BG/360BS. It does not appear from 303BG records that he was permanently assigned to this aircraft, but may have only completed Advanced Flight Training with this crew.



Participated in 17 Operations (3 were aborted). See Biography events.



Killed on Mission (KOM) on 31-Mar-43 in B-17F #41-24599 'Ooold Soljer', 303BG/360BS while serving as Pilot. The aircraft sustained a mid-air collision with B-17F #42-29573 'Two Beauts', 303BG/359BS during assembly for a mission to bomb the port facilities at Rotterdam, Holland. This occured less than an hour from takeoff with each carrying 6 bombs for the mission to Rotterdam. The planes collided over Wellingborough, UK and crashed at Mears Ashby. The 303rd Bomb Group website reports a memorial to the two crews is at Mears Ashby, UK.



Air Medal with Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19059387
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13049248
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-726994
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-790820
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18035888
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier; Togglier

Aircraft

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24559) nicknamed "Old Soljer" of the 303rd Bomb Group. Passed as censored 25 Jan 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-17 "Old Soljer". 25 Jan 1943.' Printed caption attached: 'How The Boys Live And Work At Flying Fortress Station In England. Wide World Photo Shows:- Side view of Fortress. This one's been named "Old Soljer" by her crew, who have painted the name on the side of the fuselage, as shown here. WW/ALA. 26-1-43.' On reverse: Ministry of Information, As
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Ooold Soljer
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24579) of the 365th Bomb Squadron, 305th Bomb Group prepares for take off. Handwritten caption on reverse: '30/6/43.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Thumper
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Snap! Crackle! Pop!
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

East Jordan, Charlevoix County, Michigan, USA 7 May 1918 Son of Orrin Webster and Edith Maude [Smatts] Bartlett.

Other

Assigned to Unit

Boise, ID, USA 12 March 1942 Assigned to 303BG on 12-Mar-42, Gowen Field, Idaho as 2LT Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soldier" 303BG/360BS

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA 24 July 1942 Assigned to B-17F 41-24620 "Snap Crackle Pop", 303BG/360BS as Co-Pilot during Advanced Fight Training at Alamogordo, New Mexico

Other

Arrived at Station

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 16 October 1942 Arrived at Molesworth, UK in October 1942, but records do not indicate that he was at that time assigned to any 303BG aircraft but part of the roster of 360th Bomb Squadron.

Other

Mission #1, 1LT Keith O. Bartlett, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 17 November 1942 Flew as an Observer on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2, 1LT Keith O. Bartlett, w/B-17F 41-24602, 303BG/360BS - Aborted

Saint-Nazaire, France 18 November 1942 Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24602 "Yardbird II", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France, but mechanical failures forced the Pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, 1LT Keith O. Bartlett, w/B-17F 41-24602, 303BG/360BS

Romilly-sur-Seine, France 20 December 1942 Served as Tail Gunner on B-17F 41-24602 "Yardbird II", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #4, 1LT Keith O. Bartlett, w/B-17F 41-24602, 303BG/360BS

Lorient, France 30 December 1942 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24602 "Yardbird II", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #5, 1LT Keith O. Bartlett, w/B-17F 41-24579 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 3 January 1943 Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24579 "Thumper" 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #6, 1LT Keith O. Bartlett w/41-24559 303BG/360BS

Lille, France 13 January 1943 Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soldier" 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #7, 1LT Keith O Bartlett w/B-17F 41-24559 303BG/360BS

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soldier" 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #8, 1LT Keith O. Bartlett w/B-17F 41-24559 303BG/360BS

Wilhelmshaven, Germany 27 January 1943 Flew as an Observer on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soldier", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the port facilities at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #9, 1LT Keith O. Bartlett w/B-17F 41-24559 303BG/360BS - Aborted

Hamm, Germany 2 February 1943 Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soldier" 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the industrial areas of Hamm, Germany. Mission aborted due to weather and cloud cover. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #10, 1LT Keith O. Bartlett w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS - Aborted

Osnabrück, Germany 4 February 1943 Flew as an Observer on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soldier" 303BG/360BS to bomb the industrial areas of Osnabruck, Germany, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #11, 1LT Keith O. Bartlett w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS - Aborted

Hamm, Germany 14 February 1943 Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soldier", 303BG/360BS to bomb the industrial areas of Hamm, Germany. Severe weather forced the Wing Command to recall the entire 303BG formation. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #12, 1LT Keith O. Bartlett w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS

Brest, France 27 February 1943 Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soldier", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Brest, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #13, 1LT Keith O. Bartlett w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS

Rouen, France 12 March 1943 Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soldier", 303BG/360BS to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rouen, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #14, 1LT Keith O. Bartlett w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS

Amiens, France 13 March 1943 Flew as Observer on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soldier", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Amiens/Longeau, France. RTB OK.

Other

Promoted to Pilot

21 March 1943 Promoted to Pilot, assigned to B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soldier", 303BG/360BS.

Other

Mission #15, 1LT Keith O. Bartlett w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS

Wilhelmshaven, Germany 22 March 1943 Flew his first mission as a Pilot on B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soldier", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the port areas of Wilhelmshaven, Germany. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #16, 1LT Keith O. Bartlett w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS

Rouen, France 28 March 1943 Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soldier", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railorad marshalling yards at Rouen, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #17, Keith O. Bartlett, w/B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS, Killed on Mission (KOM)

Rotterdam, Netherlands 31 March 1943 Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soldier", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the Wilton Shipyards at Rotterdam, Holland, but the aircraft sustained a mid air collision during assembly and he was killed.

Other

Killed on Mission (KOM)

Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, UK 31 March 1943 Killed when B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soldier" 303BG/360BS sustained a mid-air collision with B-17F 42-29573, "Two Beauts" 303BG/358BS over Wellingborough, UK.

Buried

Buried in the Cambridge American Cemetery, Plot E, Row 2, Grave 20.

Buried

Sunset Hill Cemetery, East Jordan, Charlevoix County, MI Memorialised Sunset Hill Cemetery East Jordan, Charlevoix County, Michigan

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added middle name & birth info per Find-a-grave MEMORIAL ID 56287606.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 3-May-2016. Edited title of Mission #17 event.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 25-Feb-2016. Made connection to Cambridge American Cemetery.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
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Sources

Lee Cunningham 25-Feb-2016. Correcting Mission #11 abort cause: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/015.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Feb-2016. Added Missions particiaptions statement to Summary Biography form existing AAM website data.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Feb-2016. Corrected mission numbering and added target details to mission event notes per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian. http://www.303rdbg.com/

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 1-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 17-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 23-Jul-2015. Added Mission #13 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 28-Mar-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/026.pdf, KOM event http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/027.pdf. Completed final edits to Summary Biography.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 23-Jul-2015. Added Promotion to Pilot event and Mission #12 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 22-Mar-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/025.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 23-Jul-2015. Added Mission #11 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 13-Mar-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/023.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 23-Jul-2015. Added Mission #10 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 12-Mar-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/022.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 23-Jul-2015. Added Mission #9 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 27-Feb-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/018.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 23-Jul-2015. Added Mission #8 event per 303BG website Mission Reprot of 14-Feb-43, Gray Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/015.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 23-Jul-2015. Added Mission # 7 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 4-Feb-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/014.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-Jul-2015. Completed Mission Connections based on 303BG records of 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-Jul-2015. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 2-Feb-43, Gray Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/013.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-Jul-2015 Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 27-Jan-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/012.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-Jul-2015. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 2-Feb-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-Jul-2015 Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 13-Jan-43, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-Jul-2015 Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 3-Jan-43, Gary Moncur, historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-Jul-2015. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website Mission Report of 17-Nov-42, Gary Moncur, Historian, http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-Jul-2015. Arranged chronology prior to arrival in UK per 303BG records: ref 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, http://www.303rdbg.com/

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-Jul-2015. Added Assigned to Unit and Assigned to aircraft per 303rd Bomb Group records on their website, Gary Moncur, Historian http://www.303rdbg.com/rost-ab.html#B

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Jul-2015. Added Decoration and Burial event per American Battle Monumnets Commission (ABMC) records; Corrected SN pere 303BG records; Made connections to Place and Aircraft within existing website data; Made connections to Missions based on 303BG Mission Reports connected to 41-24559 per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian; Edited Description with A/C model and unit associations and added crew position per "Losses of the 8th & 9th AIr Forces", Stqan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

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

Keith Orland Bartlett: Gallery (1 items)