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Personal info

Full name
CONLEY, Carl Frederick
Date of birth
29 April 1923
Age
20
Place of birth
Decatur, Morgan County, Alabama
Hometown
Decatur, Morgan County, Alabama

Military service

Service number
O-689519
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Navigator
Unit
349th Bombardment Squadron,
100th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
22 April 1944
Place of death
4 miles north of Siegen, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
E 8 5

Immediate family

Members
John C. Conley (father)
Bertie D. (Gordon) Conley (mother)
John R. Conley (brother)
Clifton Conley (brother)
Paul Conley (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-37783
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Dodie
Destination: Hamm, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 4166

More information

2nd Lt Carl F. Conley attended the Decatur High School with the class of 1939 and was a civil engineer before he joined the Air Corps of the United States Army Reserve in Birgminham, Alabama on 9 July 1942.

The airplane was attacked by fighters who damaged #3 engine, and it began to lag behind. Witnesses saw the crew attempting to jettison equipment from the plane. It appears that all ten men did bail out although Sgt McDonald was badly wounded before leaving the ship. Some of the crew felt that Lt Harte & Lt Conley may have been killed by German civilians or soldiers after they landed.

Three crew members were killed, seven were taken prisoner.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.100thbg.com, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1940 Census

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Arie-Jan van Hees, Bombardier Class Book 43-12, San Angelo AAF, Texas, www.ancestry.com - Decatur High School Yearbook 1939