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Personal info

Full name
KEENER, Howard Daniel
Date of birth
7 October 1922
Age
21
Place of birth
Marietta, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Colombia, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
13090679
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Tail Gunner
Unit
566th Bombardment Squadron,
389th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
24 February 1944
Place of death
In the vicinity of Bad Liebenstein, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
C 2 48

Immediate family

Members
Paul Keener (father)
Anna K. (Yost) Keener (mother)
Grace A. (Zink) Keener (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-109828
Data
Type: B-24J
Destination: Gotha, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the aviation industry
MACR: 2927

More information

Howard D. Keener volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on 19 June 1942.

Eyewitness reported seeing aircraft smoking and one engine feathered. Enemy fighters went after them and the tail gunners of the formation opened up to help but the enemy fighters hit the No. 2 engine and the prop stopped dead and the engine exploded. Seven parachutes were observed.

Six crew members survived and were taken prisoner. Five were killed. Their bodies were found in the wreckage.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.389thbg.net, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Veteran Compensation Application File, www.fold3.com - MACR

Photo source: www.findagrave.com