Kelly Charles Herbert

Name:

Charles Herbert Kelly

Rank:

Second Lieutenant

Serial Number:

O-753224

Unit:

534th Bomber Squadron, 381st Bomb Group

Date of Death:

2013-08-08

State:

California

Cemetery:

Bay Pines National Cemetery, Bay Pines, Pinellas County, Florida

Plot:

Section M

Row:

Grave:

Site 299

Decoration:

Comments:

Charles Herbert Kelly was born on April 6, 1916. He was the husband of Lois G Kelly.

Charles served in the 534th Bomber Squadron, 381st Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Pilot on the B-17 #42-38009 during World War II.

On June 15, 1944, his crew took off from Station 167 airfield in Ridgewell, England, at 05:00H to bomb the airfield in Bordeaux-Mérignac, France. At 08:09H, their plane was shot down by flak, and fortunately, the whole crew was able to evacuate, and all members survived. 2Lt Kelly landed in Uzeste, was recovered by the Villandraut Resistance and stayed in France until the liberation. He returned to the UK on September 11, 1944.

2Lt Kelly returned to the service and achieved the highest rank of a Lieutenant Colonel. He died on August 8, 2013, at the age of 97, and is now buried in the Bay Pines National Cemetery, Bay Pines, Pinellas County, Florida, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net