Cornelius Hays Kelleher

Military
media-31129.jpeg UPL 31129 Orrin Merrill Crew
388th BG - 562nd BS
B-17G-65-BO #43-37642

Standing Left to Right" Frank Dykty (FE), Irwin W. Boxer (TOG), Cornelius H. Kelleher (R/O), Leonard Byster (BTG), Joseph O. Brabham (WG), Sylvio Messitti (TG)

Kneeling Left to Right: Orrin Merrill (P), Walter B. Soroe (CP), Lawrence J. Redmond (N), Jordan E. Phee (B)

Phee did not fly combat with this crew.
The photo was taken in the U.S. probably at Biggs AAF
388th Bomb Group collection

Object Number - UPL 31129 - Orrin Merrill Crew 388th BG - 562nd BS B-17G-65-BO #43-37642 Standing Left to Right" Frank Dykty (FE), Irwin W. Boxer (TOG), Cornelius H....

Retired with the rank of Senior Master Sergeant from the USAF.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 388th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-823433
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Jamaica Ginger
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron
An airman of the 388th Bomb Group with a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8146).
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 562nd Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Waterbury, CT, USA 15 December 1921

Other

388th BG Combat Tour

Knettishall, Diss IP22 2TH, UK 17 October 1944 - 30 March 1945 30 combat missions

Died

South Hadley, MA 01075, USA 13 October 2013 Cornelius Hayes (Neil) Kelleher, 91, of South Hadley, MA died on October 13, 2013. Neil is prede-ceased by an infant granddaughter, Elizabeth M. Bernard in 1994. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Margaret (Sutton) Kelleher of South Hadley, originally from Norwich, England. Also by their three children: Margaret E. Bernard and her husband, Ray, and their son, Nicholas, of South Hadley; Patrick J. Kelleher and his wife, Meg, and their three children, Patrick, Christopher and Haleigh, of Marshfield, MA; Timothy J. Kelleher and his wife, Lauren, and their three children, Devon, Graeme and Eva, of Watertown, MA; also two sisters-in law and several nieces in England. He was born on December 15, 1921 in Waterbury, CT and lived briefly in nearby Naugatuck. From 1930 he grew up in the Saugatuck section of Westport, CT where he graduated from Staples High School. He attended St. Michael's College in Vermont and enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1942, training as a radio operator and aerial gunner. After 30 combat missions over Germany as a T/Sgt. in the 8th Air Force, 388th Bomb Group B-17s, he volunteered for advanced radio school. After graduating and awaiting assignment to the Pacific, the war ended. An honorable discharge followed in Oct. 1945. A year later he reenlisted in the Air Force. For over 9 1/2 years he served on select crews in Strategic Air Command B-29, B-50 and B-36 aircraft attaining a superintendent rating as radio operator and electronic counter-measure operator. Another 32 months were spent patrolling the North Atlantic Ocean in RC-121 radar reconnaissance aircraft. His next assignment required attending two weather observer schools. Following graduations and qualifying as a chief weather observer he earned his second superintendent rating, eventually becoming the chief weather observer superintendent for the 8th Air Force when the 8th was headquartered at Westover AFB. He retired there as a Senior Master Sergeant in Nov. 1965. Thereafter he belonged to the Air Force Reserve until honorably discharged in Mar. 1974. Meanwhile he became locally employed, including 12 years serving as industrial engineer at the former Adams Plastics Co. in Holyoke, until retiring in 1986. In his retirement, he enjoyed watching his family grow, spending time with his grandchildren, pursuing his love of Traditional Dixieland Jazz and was always the ultimate do-it-yourselfer. He was very proud to be a lifetime member of the 8th Air Force Historical Society. The funeral for Neil will be held Thursday morning at 8:30 am from the Ryder Funeral Home, followed by a Funeral Mass at 9:30am in St. Patrick's Church both in South Hadley. His burial with full military honors will follow in the Massachusetts Veterans' Memorial Cemetery in Agawam. Calling hours will be held Wednesday evening from 4-7pm in the funeral home. Memorial contributions can be made to the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, P.O. Box 1992, Savannah, GA, 31402 or at www.mightyeighth.org. For more details, please visit ryderfuneralhome.com. RYDER FUNERAL HOME

Buried

Agawam, MA, USA 17 October 2013 Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery • Agawam, Hampden County, Massachusetts, USA Plot Sec. 10, Row K, Site 26

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