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2 LT. Robert C. A. Carlson
427th BS/303rd BG(H)
O-731021
Home state: IL
303rd BG
   427th
BS
Acknowledgement:
Information courtesy of 303rd BG Association and Dave Tooley
Contact Dave at:
Carlson
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NARA data:
Bob was born in 1921 in Rockford, IL and
enlisted on 26 Feb 1942 in Chicago. He completed high school and
was working as a mechanic or machinist at a local factory. He
entered the Air Corps as a private with the serial #: 16058025. |
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Was a member of the 1LT Chester D. Jaques Crew. They were assigned to the 427th BS/303rd BG(H) on 13 March 1943
and flew their first combat mission five days later. Carlson was on
his eighth credited combat mission when his B-17F-BO #42-29481(No name, GN-Y)
ditched in the North Sea about 24 miles before reaching the target. (Final
mission report) This plane was one of six B-17F's in the 303rd
with the chin turret that became standard on the G model. The plane
was delivered to the 303rd on 6 Apr 1943 and and
flew these 5 missions: 30, 31, 33, 35 and 36 where she was
lost.
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Victorville class 42-13 photo. |
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Photo courtesy of Carol Peklinsky
Crew photo taken in Yumdun, Morocco, Feb 1943
enroute to England. Standing L to R: Chester Jaques, Robert Carlson,
Tony Peklinsky, Alvin Holder, William Whalon. Kneeling: Warren Vasel,
John Bradshaw,
Keith Clapshaw.
Click here for more data on the crew. |
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Photo courtesy of Carol Peklinsky
Standing L to R: Jaques, Jaques' valet,
Carlson, Carlson's valet, Pecklinsky & Whalon's valet, Clapshaw and Bradshaw.
Kneeling L to R: Vasel and Peklinsky |
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Original Crew
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Rank
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Name |
Position
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Serial #
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Fate
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Date
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1LT
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Chester D. Jaques
Photo. |
Pilot
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O-728875
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KIA
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15
May 1943 |
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2LT
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Alvin D. Holder
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CP
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O-729856
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KIA
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15
May 1943 |
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2LT
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Robert C. A. Carlson
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BOM
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O-731021
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KIA
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15
May 1943
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1LT
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John W. Bradshaw
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NAV
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O-791556
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KIA
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15
May 1943
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S/S
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Keith L. Clapshaw
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TTE
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39387102
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KIA
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15
May 1943
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SGT
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Warren T. Vasel
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R/O
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32260619
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KIA
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15
May 1943
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SGT
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Clayton W. Ryan
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RW
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32041087
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KIA
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15 May 1943 |
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SGT
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William
R. Whalon
Photo |
TG
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11033193 |
KIA
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1 May 1943, 1LT Jay R. Sterling pilot |
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SGT
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Anthony J. Peklinsky
Photo.
POW
POW - boxing match
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LW
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15078240 |
POW
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1
May 1943
Stalag 17B Braunau
Gneikendorf Near Krems Austria 48-15 |
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SGT
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Angelo L. Longo
At Molesworth.
Lead crew photo.
James crew.
1983 303rd reunion |
BT
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11072479 |
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Completed 60 missions
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1943 Combat missions flown
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Mission
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Date
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Target
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Plane
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Pilot
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24
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18 March
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Shooting Star - 229540
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Burch
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25
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22 March
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Wilhelmshaven, Germany
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No name - 29520
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Burch
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27
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31 March
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Rotterdam, Holland
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No name - 24612
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Hayes
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29
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05 April
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Antwerp, Belgium
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No name - 29520
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Jacques
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30
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15 April
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Lorient, France (Aborted)
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Bad Check - 124587
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Jacques
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31
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17 April
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Bremen, Germany
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Black Swan - 25780
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Jacques
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33
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04 May
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Antwerp, Belgium (Aborted)
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No name - 29481
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Jacques
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34
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13 May
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Meaulite, France
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Lucious Lady - 25081
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Jacques
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35
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14 May
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Kiel, Germany
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Lucious Lady - 25081
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Jacques
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36
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15 May
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Heligoland Islands
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No name - 29481
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Jacques
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His name is on the Wall of the Missing at the Cambridge, England
National Cemetery. The VFW club in Rockford, IL is named after him.
Bob enlisted in the Navy first because the Air Corps rejected him for color
blindness. Once he was in the Navy he requested a transfer to the Air Corps and
was accepted.
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MACR: 999: Click to enlarge
1.
2.
3.
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Notes on other crew members
Pilot - Chester D. Jaques
Co Pilot - Alvin D. Holder
Flew all of their missions together -
#29,30, 31, 33, 34, 35 & 36.
Holder is buried in the US.
Hometown: Barry County, MO
Navigator
- John W. Bradshaw
#25 Mar 22, #26 Mar 28 & #27 Mar 31
Edward J. Broussard, Jr. Crew.
Bradshaw is buried in the Ardennes National Cemetery near Liege, Belgium.
Home state: AL
Engineer - Keith L. Clapshaw
#24 Mar 18 with Burch Crew as LWG,
#25 Mar 22 Broussard Crew as LWG,
#28 Mar 28 with Earl A. Shaffer Crew as TG.
Did not fly with Jaques crew on mission
#30.
Flew as RWG on mission #33 and TG on
missions 34, 35 & 36
Crew had substitute Engineers on missions
#30, 33,34,35 & 36
Clapshaw is buried in the US.
Hometown: Pacific County, WA
Radio Operator - Warren Vassel
#25 Mar 28 with Shaffer Crew as RWG.
Did not Fly with Jaques Crew on missions
#30 & 31 - Crew had substitute Radio Operator.
Vasel is buried in the Ardennes National Cemetery near Liege, Belgium.
Hometown: Monmouth Count, NJ
Ball Turret Gunner - Angelo Longo
#24 Mar 28 & #28 April 4 with
Ralph S. Hayes Crew
#25 Mar 22 with Donald E. Stockton Crew as
LWG
Did not fly with the Jaques Crew on mission
#36
Completed his 25 mission tour on 16 Sept 43 and returned to 427th BS on
30 June 44 to complete
another combat tour on 21 March 1945.
Left
Waist Gunner - Anthony Peklinsky
#24
Mar 28 , #27 Mar 31 & #28 April 4 with Donald E. Stockton Crew as
Waist Gunner
#25 Mar 22 with Billy B. Southworth, Jr.
Crew as LWG
#26 Mar 28 with Edward J. Broussard, Jr.
Crew as LWG
#32 May 1 he
became a POW flying with the Vincent R. Walsh Crew. Jacques crew did
not fly on this date.
Jaques crew had a Substitute Waist Gunner on Missions #33, 34, 35 &
36.
Right Waist Gunner - Clayton W. Ryan
First
mission was #29 with the Jaques Crew
Other missions #30, 31, 33, 34,. 35 & 36
also with Jacques Crew.
Ryan is buried in the US.
Hometown: Orange County, NY
Tail Gunner - William R. Whalon
Flew three missions with the Jaques
Crew - #29, 30 & 31
Was KIA on mission #32 May 1 flying with the
Jay R. Sterling Crew
Keith Clapshaw flew as Tail Gunner on
missions #34, 35 & 36 and had a substitute Tail Gunner on
mission #32.
Notes on replacement crew members
Top Turret/Engineer - T/Sgt Lester O.
Corns
Assigned to
the 427th BS on May 5th.
Was killed on the first and only combat mission on May 15th.
Corns name is on the Wall of the Missing at the Cambridge, England
National Cemetery.
Waist
Gunner - S/Sgt W.
G. Morrison
Assigned to the
427th BS on May 5th.
Was killed on the first and only combat mission on May 15th.
Morrison is buried in the Ardennes National Cemetery near Liege, Belgium.
Ball Turret - S/Sgt Ward M. Kirkpatrick
Was on his
16th combat mission. Photo.
Last two missions with Jaques Crew as TG & BTG.
Other
missions as TG, WG & BTG with three other Pilots. Do not know
his original assigned crew, if any.
Kirkpatrick's name is on the Wall of the Missing at the Cambridge, England National Cemetery.
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