Last Known Activity:
According to his NARA enlistment files, Harley A. Kelly was born in West Virginia in 1915. He was drafted, and inducted into the military at Camp Livingston, Louisiana on July 14, 1942. His enlistment documents state he had completed 1 year of high school, and was employed as a semi-skilled driver or chauffeur.
He received training as an aerial gunner, and after completing the course, was assigned to a unit in North Africa where he flew at least 30 combat missions. On January 21, 1844, he was part of a crew assigned to bomb the airdrome at Salon De Provence, France.
Observers within the formation stated in later reports that as the formation approached the target area, the #3 engine on Kelly's aircraft began smoking. The pilot dropped from formation and was immediately attacked by enemy fighters as a straggler.
Even though machine gun and cannon fire raked the bomber, it appeared to be under control as it began a slow, sweeping spiral toward the sea. It was either ditched or crashed about 20 miles south of Toulon, France.
Observers stated the entire crew was seen in life rafts, heading on a course for Marseilles, France. They were never seen again. Listed as Missing in Action for a while, they were later declared dead.
SSgt Kelly is memorialized along with several of his crew in the Rhone American Cemetery in Draguignan, France on the Walls of the Missing.
www.findagrave.com
www.abmc.gov
www.honorstates.org/index
www.americanballtegraves.com/index
www.301stbg.com/Missions_Macrs.cfm
NARA Enlistment Records
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Comments/Citation:
SSgt Harley A. Kelly was the waist gunner on B-17F # 42-30472, not named, assigned to the 353rd Bomb Squadron.
One crewman was left off the loading list, but the Missing Air Crew Report 1952 contains a full crew roster. The crew was:
2 Lt Howard W. Ryan p
2 Lt Paul C. Peters c-p
1 Lt Alvin P. Goldstein nav
2 Lt Baldwin J. Krober bomb
TSgt Kenneth E. Canady eng/tt gun
TSgt Joseph J. Buschko r/o
Sgt Richard L. Chelminiak btg
SSgt Harley A. Kelly wg
SSgt James T. McBride tail gun
Ranks and grades as of mission date.
TSgt Kenneth E. Canady is omitted from the loading list in 301st Bomb Group records.
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