BIRTH : 15 Oct 1917

San Francisco County, California, USA

DEATH : Norway - 18 Nov 1943 (aged 26)



BURIAL :

Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial

Coton, South Cambridgeshire District, Cambridgeshire, England

PLOT Tablets of the Missing

MEMORIAL ID 56288525 · View Source



2ndLt. Enrico J. Chelini was a B-24 pilot in WWll in the 8th Air Force, in the U.K. He was the son of Joseph and Louisa Chelini of Colfax, CA. A former student at Placer Union High School and Placer Junior College, he played football, basketball, and baseball as an undergraduate.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army, March 26, 1941, in Salt Lake City, UT. He had recently arrived at Hethel, an American base in England, where he was assigned as a co-pilot on the B-24D Liberator named, Vagabond King. He was flying as a designated observer on the aircraft on a bombing mission to Oslo, Norway, when enemy aircraft, FW-190s, were encountered. In the ensuing engagement, the, Vagabond King, sustained major damage and crashed into the sea. Lt. Chelini and, Vagabond King's entire crew were killed in action (KIA) with no survivors. At the time of his death, Lt. Chelini had been commissioned about six months and had served in the enlisted ranks for 18 months prior to that time.





Observer : 2nd.Lt. Enrico J. Chelini - KIA

389th Bomb Group - Missing Air Crew Report Details

USAAF - MACR 2885

Date Lost: 18-Nov-43

Serial Number: 42-40787

Aircraft Model B-24D-95-CO

Aircraft Letter: V

Aircraft Name: Vagabond King

Squadron: 565th Bomb Squadron - 389th Bomb Group - 8th Air Force

Location: North Sea

Cause: German FW-190's



SERVICE : Lt. Enrico J. Chelini was flying as an observer pilot on the B-24D, Vagabond King, when it was shot down by FW-190s over the North Sea. The aircraft crashed into the North Sea. 10 KIA. 18-Nov-43. MACR 2885