Kenneth Marion Caldwell

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-15374.jpeg UPL 15374 B-24D Liberator, 42-40629, "The Scorpion", in the 8th Air Force, the 389th Bomb Group, and the 565th Bomb Squadron, with it's pilot, Capt. Kenneth M Caldwell, photo front and center with cap, and crew. Capt. Caldwell flew "The Scorpion" on the Ploesti oil refinery raid, returning safely to Libya. Aug 1,1943

Lt. Caldwell was shot down by FW190 fighters near Orleans, France in the B-24D, 42-41013 named, "Trouble". Caldwell and his crew were killed in action (KIA). Jan 7, 1944.

Best Web - B-24 - TROUBLE

Object Number - UPL 15374 - B-24D Liberator, 42-40629, "The Scorpion", in the 8th Air Force, the 389th Bomb Group, and the 565th Bomb Squadron, with it's pilot, Capt. Kenneth M...

Lt. Kenneth M. Caldwell from the 8th Air Force, the 389th Bombardment Group, and the 565th Bomb Squadron took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti with Col. Jack W. Wood, observing, on 1-Aug-43, flying the B-24D, 42-40629, named, THE SCORPION. He and his crew survived the mission and returned home safely. Major Caldwell and Col. Jack Wood, both, received Distinguished Service Cross Medals for their gallantry in bombing their heavily defended targets at Campina, Ploesti. 1 Aug, 1943.



Lt. Caldwell was shot down by FW-190 fighters near Orleans, France in the B-24, 42-41013, named, TROUBLE. Caldwell and his crew were killed in action (KIA), 7 Jan 44.



Major Kenneth Marion Caldwell was the son of Elmer Elzie Caldwell and Florence Marion Knetzer Caldwell. Elmer and Florence had six children, all boys except for one. The baby of the family was a girl. Imagine how spoiled she was. Here are the Caldwell kids in order of birth:



CCM Ralph Henderson Caldwell, USN, WWII

Maj. Kenneth Marion Caldwell, AAF Bomb Group Pilot, WWII

Raymond J Caldwell

Lt. Col. Robert Dean Caldwell, USAF Pilot, WWII

Merritt Lee Caldwell

Helen Jean Caldwell Marshall



On 8 Dec 1941, Kenneth married Ruth Faye Anderson in Kansas City, Jackson, MO, USA. At the time he was serving a two year stint in the Royal Canadian Air Force and was stationed at Dartmouth, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.



In early 1944, Mrs. Kenneth M. Caldwell got the news that her husband's plane had been shot down, and he, along with 9 others on his mission were Missing In Action, 1-Jul-44.

- News Articles :

- The Kansas City Star Oct 1, 1943 : "Kansan Kenneth Caldwell Led Flight on Ploesti Raid",

Aug 1, 1943 : "Distinguished Service Cross Awarded To Maj. Ken

Caldwell"

- The Kansas City Star Jan 21, 1944 : Major Kenneth M. Caldwell Missing In Action

Major Kenneth M. Caldwell's DSC Citation Reads as follows :

AWARDED FOR ACTIONS -

DURING World War II

Service: Army Air Forces

Battalion: 565th Bombardment Squadron

Division: 9th Air Force

GENERAL ORDERS:

Headquarters, Ninth U.S. Army Air Force, General Orders No. 89 - 1943



CITATION:

- SYNOPSIS: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Army Air Corps Captain Kenneth Marion Caldwell, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as pilot of a B-24 Heavy Bomber in the 565th Bombardment Squadron, 389th Bombardment Group, and the 9th Air Force, while participating in a bombing mission on 1 August 1943, against the Ploesti Oil Refineries in Rumania. During a long and hazardous attack against a vital enemy oil installation made at low altitude by a formation of B-24D type aircraft, Major Caldwell flew through heavy enemy fire against impossible odds, and then brought his crew safely back to base without the loss of a single man. The personal courage and zealous devotion to duty displayed by Captain Caldwell on this occasion, even when confronted with practically certain destruction, exemplified the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 9th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces. The historian, Larry Smith. wrote about Ken Caldwell and his flight crew's war experiences and his book, "TROUBLE".

Connections

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

Units served with

The insignia of the 389th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 564th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15045876 / 0-325990
  • Highest Rank: Major General
  • Role/Job: Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 355th Fighter Group 389th Bomb Group 2nd Scouting Force 567th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-23828
  • Highest Rank: Brigadier General
  • Role/Job: Bomber Pilot / Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 567th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot
First Lieutenant John A. Fino, of the 44th Bomb Group with a pistol given to him by the Mayor of Oristano. Marked as Not To Be Published 25 Oct 1943. Printed caption on reverse of print: 'Fortress Crewman Was Made Honorary Mayor. When the crew of a burnt-out Liberator bomber which came down near the town of Oristano, Sardinia, recovered from their narrow escape they were feted by the townspeople and one of them, 1st Lt. John A. Fino, who is of Italian descent, was made an Honorary Mayor. Associated Press
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 565th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 19036088 / O-?
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 565th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18118007
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - The Scorpion
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 565th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Trouble
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 44th Bomb Group 506th Bomb Squadron 566th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Miss Liberty
  • Unit: 389th Bomb Group 492nd Bomb Group 801st Bomb Group 564th Bomb Squadron 567th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Berka, al Birkah

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

16 August 1914 Son of Elmer Elzie and Florence Marion [Knetzer] Caldwell.

Died

7 January 1944 Shot down by FW 190 fighters near Orleans, France on 7-Jan-44 in B-24 42-41013 'Trouble N' Mind' Killed in Action (KIA).

Buried

Re-Interred East Hill Cemetery, Erie Neosho County, Kansas

Based

7 January 1944 Assigned to 565BS, 389BG, 8AF USAAF

Revisions

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Removed extra info in the "Role/job" field.

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AMERICAN AIR MUSEUM IN BRITAIN - Kenneth Marion Caldwell

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Punctuation removed for clarity

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Punctuation added for clarity.

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Punctuation added for clarity.

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Punctuation added for clarity

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Removed # from A/C serial No. to aid clarity and consistency

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Added punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

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Into the Fire - Duane Schultz

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Halls Of Valor - Major Kenneth Marion Caldwell

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Halls Of Valor - Major Kenneth Marion Caldwell

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The Hall of Valor Project - Major Kenneth Marion Caldwell

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Find A Grave - Major Kenneth M. Caldwell

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Into The Fire - Duane Schultz

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Into The Fire - Duane Schultz

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Philip Ardery, Bomber Pilot: A Memoir of World War II (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky: 1978) 99.

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Philip Ardery, Bomber Pilot: A Memoir of World War II (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky: 1978) 99.

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Richard Dieterle.

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Philip Ardery, Bomber Pilot: A Memoir of World War II (Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky: 1978) passim.

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Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 1853 / MACR 1853, 8th AF Losses, WWII Memorial / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Kenneth Marion Caldwell: Gallery (3 items)