Francis H. Kelley was born on October 14, 1920. He served in the 427th Bomber Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Ball Turret Gunner of B-17 #4483447 during World War II.

On April 25, 1945, the aircraft was downed by anti-aircraft fire while on a bombing mission over Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, targeting the Škoda industrial complex. Manufactured by Douglas and delivered in March 1945, it had only recently reached England before its final mission. The bomber was hit by flak during the attack run and crashed near Skvrňany, a district in Pilsen. Three crew members were killed in the crash, while the remaining survivors either evaded capture or were taken as prisoners of war.

SSgt Kelley was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Springfield National Cemetery, Springfield, Greene County, Missouri, USA.

Source of information: b17flyingfortress.de, http://www.leteckabadatelna.cz/