Charles Wright Blakley

Military

Charles Blakley was Right Waist Gunner on B-24 #42-7635 when it was shot down by fighters on the 21 January mission to bomb V-weapons sites in Northern France. He evaded capture and was back in the UK on 3 April 1944. Missing Air Crew Report MACR 2357. Escape & Evasion Report E&E 551.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 44th Bomb Group.

44th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
B-24 Liberators of the 44th Bomb Group line up for takeoff at Shipdham in 1943. The 'Flying Eight-Ball' emblem of the 68th Bomb Squadron is visible on the nose of the leading aircraft. Image stamped with field press censor, 1943. Press Agency photograph- original printed caption has been removed.

68th Bomb Squadron

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

People

Archie Roland Barlow

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14151313
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner

Earl E Boggs

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18162569
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Wayne D Crowl

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35037588 at enlistment, then O-741141
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Herman Myron Curtis

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 11052903 at enlistment, then O-748585
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Nicholas Marcus Heiter

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17106849
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Aircraft

42-7635

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Ram-It-DamIt
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

24 November 1921 in a farm near Parma, Idaho, the son of George M. and Ruth Estella (Vinson) Blakley

Enlisted

25 August 1942 Boise, Idaho

Other

Bailed out

21 January 1944 of 42-7635 over France

Other

Landed in parachute

21 January 1944 near Meigneux, 35km SW of Amiens, France

Other

evaded capture

21 January 1944 - 30 March 1944 Helped by French citizens and members of the Résistance, he was guided to Paris, then to Toulouse. He arrived in Spain on 21 March, was led to Gibraltar where he arrived on 30 March. Flown from there to Casablanca, Morocco on 2 April and flown from there to England, landing at RAF station St Mawgan on 3 April, rejoining his unit on 4 April 1944.

Died

9 January 2018

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Capitalized "Waist Gunner" in the Role/Job field.

Date
ContributorED-BB
Changes
Sources

MACR 3828
NARA WWI Enlistment records
Escape & Evasion Report E&E 551 - https://catalog.archives.gov/id/5555191