Merle E Barnes

Military

Shot down 28 May 1944 in B-17 #42-31557, Prisoner of War (POW).



POW

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

A pathfinder B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8258) of the 401st Bomb Group. Image by Robert Astrella. Written on slide casing: '48258 14 A, Mount Farm.'

401st Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Lieutenants Wardlaw Hammon and Walter B Keith, Co-pilot and pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress of the 401st Bomb Group, talk with Captain RJ White. Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 12 Dec 1943.' [stamp] and '296491.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Photo shows: The pilot and co-pilot talking with Captain RJ White. Left to right: Lieut Wardlaw Hammond, co-pilot of Philadelphia, Penn: Lieut Walter B Keith, pilot, of Hodgeville, Kentucky: and Capt RJ White of K

Walter Burton Keith

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-802411
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

42-31557

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Stalag Luft III

  • Site type: Prisoner of war camp
  • Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Battle Creek, Michigan, USA

Other

Prisoner of War (POW)

Zagan, Poland 28 May 1944 Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia Bavaria (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser) 49-11

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to Stalag Luft 3 per WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Added POW camp info to the POW event and a S/N from WW2 POW records at the National Archives (NARA).

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 5308 / MACR 5308, http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=510 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database