William McKeon
Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 401st Bomb Group
Shot down by flak and crashed near Corne in B-17 3446129 on 19 July 1944 and Evaded
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Raymond E Harman
Military
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William McKeon Crew 401st BG - 613th BS Standing Left to Right: Edward D. Hill (TG), Frederick L. Fletcher (WG), Charles E. May (BTG), Jack Sharp (RO), Harold Hallman (WG), Raymond Harman (FE), Joseph Kozlowsky (B), Werner Zukunft (N), Robert Gray (CP), William McKeon (P) This crew was shot down on their 16th mission, 19 July 1944. 9 POW and 1 Evadee (McKeon)
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Macr 8157
Prisoner of War (POW). Shot down by flak and crashed near Corne on 7/19/44 in B-17 44-6129
Service
People
Units served with
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384th Bomb Group
Group
The 384th Bomb Group flew B-17s from Grafton Underwood, Northamptonshire, between May 1943 and June 1945. They were engaged in daylight bombing missions over Germany as part of the Allies' efforts to destroy the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe by... -
401st Bomb Group
Group
The 401st Bomb Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses from Deenethorpe, Northamptonshire, from November 1943 to June 1945. Starting their missions at that time meant the focus was very much on the coming invasion attempt of France planned for the following... -
544th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
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613th Bomb Squadron
Squadron
Aircraft
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42-102947 D-Day Dottie
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Cheyenne 21/4/44; Kearney 2/5/44; Grenier 26/5/44; Assigned 613BS/401BG [IN-S] 27/5/44; Returned to the USA Bradley 8/6/45; 4168 Base Unit, South Plains, Texas 12/6/45; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) Kingman... -
42-3507 "DUFFY'S TAVERN"
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 15/7/43; Scott 20/10/43; Assigned 613BS/401BG [IN-D] Deenethorpe 26/10/43; transferred 838BS/487BG Lavenham 15/7/44; Reconstruction Finance Corporation (sold for scrap metal in USA) South Plains 1/10/45. DUFFY'S TAVERN. -
44-6129
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Tulsa 10/5/44; Hunter 19/5/44; Dow Fd 29/5/44; Assigned 613BS/401BG [IN-A] Deenethorpe 7/6/44. ...
Missions
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380
30 May 1944
Mission #3. Same target as before. A piece of flak broke the pilots windshield. No-one hurt. -
391
4 June 1944
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394
6 June 1944
D-Day. Start of Operation Overlord. -
403
10 June 1944
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418
17 June 1944
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425
20 June 1944
Bombed an airfield. We were hit by flak; a piece hit Palmer's armor plate and another hit a gas tank. Probriefed in the evening for a big secret mission. -
428
21 June 1944
Ruhland, Germany - The target, south of Berlin, bombed by 114 fortresses with an escort of 70 Mustangs went off as planned but not before the Germans destroyed 43 B-17's and damaged 26. Landed in Russia. -
432
22 June 1944
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445
28 June 1944
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455
6 July 1944
Associated Place
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Deenethorpe
Military site : airfield
Deenethorpe was a base purpose-built for American heavy bombers, with the Class A regulation 2,000 and 1,400-yard runways. All the buildings on site,such as the accommodation and administrative blocks, were temporary. In December 1943, several local...
Events
| Event | Location | Date |
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| Born | Sargent, Nebraska | 21 February 1921 |
| Lived in | Riverton, Wyoming | 1942 |
| Enlisted | Denver, Colorado | 18 May 1942 |
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6'0" |
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| Assigned | Wendover Field, Utah | 11 March 1943 |
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Assigned to the 384th Bomb Group at Wendover Field, Utah as a member of Crew #3 per Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, Special Orders #70 dated 11 March 1943. Apparently Harman was transferred out of the 384th Bomb Group prior to the 384th Bomb Group's deployment to the ETO. No records have been located to establish a specific date for the transfer. |
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| Shot Down/WIA?Captured | Corne, France | 19 July 1944 |
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The 401st provided the entire 94th Combat Wing "A" formation, consisting of three Boxes, on this long mission to southern Germany. For a change, it became apparent at the IP that the target could be bombed visually, and all three boxes bombed their primary MPI"s with excellent results. The Lead Box placed 100% of its bombs within 2,000 feet of the MPI and 80% within 1,000 feet. The Low Box's results were only slightly less accurate, while the High Box dropped incendiary bombs with good effect. |
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| POW | Bad Soden, Germany | 20 July 1944 – May 1945 |
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Lazarett IX-B (Hospital) |
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| Died | Nampa, Idaho | 12 June 2005 |
| Buried | Boise, Idaho | 16 June 2005 |
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Idaho State Veterans Cemetery |
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