William Franklin Cely

Military
media-19296.jpeg UPL 19296 1st Lt William F Cely, 94th Bomb Group

Find A Grave Memorial# 66717112

Object Number - UPL 19296 - 1st Lt William F Cely, 94th Bomb Group

Missions: 1943 - Nov 11 Muenster; 19 Gelsenkirchen/Rohr; 26 Paris; 29 Bremen 30 Solingen; Dec 5 Bordeaux; 11 Emden; 13 Kiel; 16 Bremen; 24 Crossbow; 30 Ludwigshaven; 31 Brodeaux; 1944 - Jan 11 Brunswick; 29 Frankfurt; Feb 3 Wilhelmshaven; 4 Frankfurt; 6 St. Andre; 10 Brunswick; 13 Crossbow; 24 Tutow/Rostock; 25 Regensburg; 28 Crossbow; 29 Brunswick; Mar 3 Germany 8 Berlin/Erkner. Plane - B-17G 42-39775 'Frenesi' (Copy of the poem 'Incident' by Edgar A. Guest, to honor Wm F. Cely) see lib ref drawer) This is the pilot of 'Papa's gonna take you home' fame based on his heroic effort to get the plane Frenesi back to the base after their 13th mission, on 11 January 1944.

Silver Star/ DFC/ Air Medal w/ 3 Oak Leaf Cluster/ Presidential Unit Citation/ American Defense Service Medal/ WW II Theater Ribbons/ Air Force Longevity Service Award

Connections

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Units served with

A bomber crew of the 94th Bomb Group stand with their B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-30200) nicknamed "Slo Time Sally" and a bomb inscribed 'Special delivery to Hitler'. Inscription on bomb reads: 'Special delivery to Hitler, From Peggy of St. Louis.'

94th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Harry L Anderson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 94th Bomb Group 333rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14085527
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator

Warren P Becker

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 94th Bomb Group 333rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16134233
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Observer/Photographer

Alexander William Bender

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 94th Bomb Group 333rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36000091 / O-744349
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
Lieutenant Jabez F. Churchill of the 94th Bomb Group in the nose gun position of his B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Frenesi". Printed caption on reverse: 'Fortress Gets Home With Damaged Nose. Associated Press Photo Shows:- Lt. Jabez F. Churchill, co-pilot of the Flying Fortress "Frenesi", sticks his head through the hole made by a 20mm German cannon shell in the plexiglass nose of his plane during the great raid on the Me110 assembly plant at Brunswick, Germany, January 11. The shell cut through the nos

Jabez Frank Warren Churchill

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 94th Bomb Group 333rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-680406
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot / Pilot

Preston Henderson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 94th Bomb Group 333rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 38236131
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner

Aircraft

The nose art of a B-17G Flying Fortress nicknamed "Frenesi"of the 94th Bomb Group.

42-39775

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Frenesi
  • Unit: 94th Bomb Group 333rd Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Palestine, Texas 24 February 1916

Enlisted

Houston, TX 29 September 1941 Houston, Texas

Other

Commissioned

12 April 1943

Died

Tucson, AZ, USA 28 March 1992

Buried

30 March 1992 Arlington National Cemetery Arlington Virginia, USA Plot: Section 3-N, Row 23, Site 6

Based

Bury St Edmunds Assigned to 333BS, 94BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66717112/william-f-cely

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 12969

Date
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
Sources

https://www.fold3.com/image/29444310
https://www.fold3.com/record/90216493-william-f-cely
https://www.fold3.com/record/58651901-william-f-cely
https://airandspace.si.edu/support/wall-of-honor/ltcol-william-f-cely
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/66717112/william-f-cely

Date
Contributorusxpat
Changes
Sources

William F Cely records at Fold3
Find A Grave Memorial# 66717112

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 12969, widow, Mrs. William F. (Ruth R.) Cely, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces

William Franklin Cely: Gallery (7 items)

The nose art of a B-17G Flying Fortress nicknamed "Frenesi"of the 94th Bomb Group.

Object number: FRE 3833 - The nose art of a B-17G Flying Fortress nicknamed...

Lieutenant William F. Cely, a pilot of the 94th Bomb Group and a ground crewman, inspect a shell hole in Cely's B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Frenesi". Printed caption on reverse: 'Damaged Fortress Gets Home. Associated Press Photo Shows:- Lt. William F. Cely (left), Pilot of the Flying Fortress "Frenesi", inspects the damage caused to his plane by a 20mm cannon shell during the great raid on the Me110 assembly plant at Brunswick, Germany, January 11. An unidentified crew worker (right) measures the rip

Object number: FRE 3835 - Lieutenant William F. Cely, a pilot of the 94th...

Lieutenant Jabez F. Churchill (co pilot) and Lieutenant William F. Cely (pilot) of the 94th Bomb Group look through a shell hole in their B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Frenesi". Printed caption on reverse: 'Fortress Get Home With Damaged Nose. Associated Press Photo Shows:- Lt. Jabez F. Churchill (left), of 903 Cherry Street, Santa Rosa, Calif., and Lt. William F. Cely, of 674 8th Avenue East, Houston Texas, co-pilot and pilot respectively of the Flying Fortresses, "Frenesi", peer through a big hole in

Object number: FRE 3840 - Lieutenant Jabez F. Churchill (co pilot) and...

The damaged tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-39775) nicknamed "Frenesi" of the 94th Bomb Group. Printed caption on reverse: 'Damaged Fortress Gets Home. Associated Press Photo Shows:- The right elevator of the Flying Fortress "Frenesi" after it had been torn by a 20mm cannon shell in the great raid on the Me110 assembly plant at Brunswick, Germany, on January 11. FL/AB 263982. 14-1-44-Y.' On reverse: Associated Press and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].

Object number: FRE 3857 - The damaged tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial...

Lieutenant Jabez F. Churchill of the 94th Bomb Group in the nose gun position of his B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Frenesi". Printed caption on reverse: 'Fortress Gets Home With Damaged Nose. Associated Press Photo Shows:- Lt. Jabez F. Churchill, co-pilot of the Flying Fortress "Frenesi", sticks his head through the hole made by a 20mm German cannon shell in the plexiglass nose of his plane during the great raid on the Me110 assembly plant at Brunswick, Germany, January 11. The shell cut through the nos

Object number: FRE 3861 - Lieutenant Jabez F. Churchill of the 94th Bomb...

Object number: UPL 19296 - 1st Lt William F Cely, 94th Bomb Group

Object number: UPL 19297 - William F Cely with his daughter