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Personal info

Full name
MC KEEVER, Bernard E
Date of birth
11 November 1910
Age
33
Place of birth
Oconto Falls, Oconto County, Wisconsin
Hometown
Oconto County, Wisconsin

Military service

Service number
36809149
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Ball Turret Gunner
Unit
360th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
22 June 1944
Place of death
Tressin, 8 km east of Lille, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 1 8

Immediate family

Members
William Mc Keever (father)
Ermie O. (Stuart) Mc Keever (mother)
Raymond W. Mc Keever (brother)
Elmer Mc Keever (brother)
Frances Mc Keever (sister)
Sheila (Hickey) Mc Keever (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-31432
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Old Glory
Destination: Lille, France
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 6541

More information

Bernard Mc Keever graduated from Oconto Falls High School and was a beaterman at the Falls Paper and Powem Co.

The airplane received a direct hit from flak, just after bombs away. It was hit just back of #3 engine, probably in the gas tank. Immediately it burst into flames, spun off to the right and went down. Both wings snapped off as it went down.

Only T/Sgt Robert H. Johnson bailed out could and evaded capture. The remaining eight crew members were killed in the crash. They were initially buried at the village cemetery of Tressin on 23 June 1944.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com - 1905 Wisconsin State Census, 1920/1930 Census / Family Trees, www.8thafhs.com, www.303rdbg.com, www.newspapers.com - Green Bay Press-Gazette

Photo source: www.303rdbg.com, www.newspapers.com - Green Bay Press-Gazette