Charles Kalil
MilitaryShared on Kalil's Findagrave record by user debmcdaniel:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=144265342&PIpi=70…
Charles Kalil served as a waist gunner with the 95th Bomb Group.
On 21 July 1944, he was flying in B-17 42-97120 when it suffered mechanical failures and crashed near Trier, Germany. He was taken as a Prisoner of War and was imprisoned in Stalag Luft III.
'From meager beginnings, Charles built one of Texas largest Wholesale Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Companies his life's work and love. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed in England, as a Gunner Engineer on a B17. He flew twenty one missions over Germany before his plane was shot down, where he spent thirteen months as a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft 3. His camp was liberated by General George Patton's Army in 1945.
Upon returning to the U.S., he flew directly to Florida and married the love of his life, Vivilyn Tucker. They were married for 65 years and became parents to four wonderful children.'
Excerpt from his Findagrave record
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Irene's Folly
- Unit: 95th Bomb Group 336th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
8 April 1924 | His parents were Naum and Martha Kalil, who had moved to the USA from Lebanon. | |
Enlisted |
14 September 1942 | ||
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
21 July 1944 | ||
Other Crash-landed |
21 July 1944 | ||
Died |
7 October 2010 | ||
Born |
At the time of the 1940 census, Charles, aged 16, was one of ten siblings living with their parents. | ||
Buried |
Revisions
1940 Census
NARA enlistment record: https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=all&tf…
MACR 7410
ww2pow info: http://www.ww2pow.info/index.php?page=directory&rec=80944
Findagrave record: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=kalil&GSfn=charle…;
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 7410 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database