Carl Ewald Shellman
Military22-Feb-43 Assigned to the 303BG/358BS at Molesworth, UK as Ball Turret Gunner of the 2LT James R. Dunn crew.
31-Mar-43 Killed in Action (KIA) while serving as the Ball Turret Gunner of B-17F #42-29573 "Two Beauts", 303BG/358BS in mid-air collision with B-17F #41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG 360BS during assembly for a mission to bomb the shipyards at Rotterdam, Holland. This occured less than an hour from takeoff with each carrying 6 bombs for the mission to Rotterdam. The planes crashed at Mears Ashby and 303rd reports a memorial to the two crews is there.
Participated in 7 Operations (1 was Aborted). See Biography events.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-727194
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Jersey Bounce
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Hunga Dunga
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Sky Wolf
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Fertile Myrtle
- Unit: 91st Bomb Group 323rd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Two Beauts
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 358th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 31 March 1943
- Date: 28 March 1943
- Date: 22 March 1943
- Date: 18 March 1943
- Date: 13 March 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts, USA | 31 December 1918 | |
Other Assigned to Unit |
Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 22 February 1942 | Assigned as Ball Turret Gunner with the crew of 2LT James R. Dunn at Molesworth, UK. |
Other Mission #1, SSGT Carl E. Shellman, w/B-17F 41-24539, 303BG/358BS |
Rennes, France | 8 March 1943 | Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24539 "Jersey Bounce", 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rennes, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #2, SSGT Carl E. Shellman, w/B-17F 41-24558, 303BG/358BS - Aborted |
Rouen, France | 12 March 1943 | Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24558 "Hunga Dunga", 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rouen, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #3, SSGT Carl E. Shellman, w/B-17F 42-5432, 303BG/358BS |
Amiens, France | 13 March 1943 | Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 42-5432 "The Hunting Club", 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Amiens, France. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #4, SSGT Carl E. Shellman, w/B-17F 42-29520, 303BG/358BS |
Bremen-Vegesack, Bremen, Germany | 18 March 1943 | Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 42-24520, 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat construction yards at Vegesack, Germany. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #5, SSGT Carl E. Shellman, w/B-17F 41-24562, 303BG/358BS |
Wilhelmshaven, Germany | 22 March 1943 | Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24562 "Sky Wolf", 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. RTB OK. |
Other Mission #6, SSGT Carl E. Shellman, w/B-17F 42-5432, 303BG/358BS |
Rouen, France | 28 March 1943 | Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 42-5432 "The Hunting Club", 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rouen, France. RTB OK. |
Other Killed on Mission (KOM) |
Mears Ashby, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN6, UK | 31 March 1943 | Killed when the aircraft sustained a mid-air collision over Mears Ashby, UK during assembly. |
Other Mission #7, SSGT Carl E. Shellman, w/B-17F 42-29573, 303BG/358BS - KOM |
Rotterdam, Netherlands | 31 March 1943 | Served as Ball Turret Gunner on B-17F 42-29573 "Two Beauts", 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the shipyards at Rotterdam, Holland. The aircraft sustained a mid-air collision during assembly and crashed. He was Killed on Mission. KOM |
Buried |
Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts, USA | Hillcrest Park Cemetery |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.
Added middle name. birth and burial info per Find-a-grave MEMORIAL ID 56294455.
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 31-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/027.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 28-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/026.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/025.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/024.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/023.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 12-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/022.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Made connections to Place, Aircraft and Missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, James R. Dunn crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/358dunn.html
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 8-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/021.pdf
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added Killed on Mission event per 303BG webiste, Gary Moncur, Historian, James R. Dunn crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/358dunn.html
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2016. Added Assigned to Unit event per 303BG webiste, Gary Moncur, Historian, James R. Dunn crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/358dunn.html
Lee Cunningham 14-Mar-2014. Added initial assignment info, loss details and Participations statement to Summary Biography; Made connections to Place, AIrcraft and Missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, James R. Dunn crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/358dunn.html
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey, p. 94, 303rd web site