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".