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Personal info

Full name
KENNEDY, Cassius Bond
Date of birth
16 September 1921
Age
23
Place of birth
Brownville, Nemaha County, Nebraska
Hometown
Brownville, Nemaha County, Nebraska

Military service

Service number
O-772218
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
571st Bombardment Squadron,
390th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
17 February 1945
Place of death
North Sea, near Ostend, Belgium

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle
Tablets of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
George C. Kennedy (father)
Ruth A. Kennedy (mother)
Bettie M. Kennedy (sister)
Clay W. Kennedy (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
44-8566
Data
Type: B-17G SH
Destination: Frankfurt, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 12321

More information

1st Lt Cassius B. Kennedy attended college and was an actor.

He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Lincoln, Nebraska, on 4 March 1943.

Statement from 2nd Lt James E. Keelan (mickey operator) and only survivor (out of nine crew members):
"A/C 566, returning from a mission on 17 February 1945, caught fire from an explosion in the nose over the North Sea, just off the coast of Ostend, Belgium, at less than 10,000 feet, at approximately 1400 hours. Only slight battle damage had been inflicted. Two men, believed to be the radio operator and tail gunner, bailed out just off the coast of Ostend and were not observed by me after making their jump. I bailed out approximately 20 miles off the coast of Ostend. I was equipped with a Mae West preserver. I remained in the sea for about one hour and thirty minutes before being picked up. My chute opened within a few seconds before striking the water. A/C 566 crashed in the sea and to the best of my knowledge, remainder of the crew was in the ship. It is my opinion that they had little chance for survival. A/C 566 could not have been ditched."

All killed crew members are mentioned at the Walls of the Missing at Henri-Chapelle, except for Sgt Francis Wishart, who is mentioned at the Walls of the Missing at Cambridge Cemetery.

Lt Kennedy is remembered at Walnut Grove Cemetery in Brownville, Nehama County, Nebraska, at the family grave.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Astrid van Erp, Carla Mans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census / U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Peru State College 1940, www.findagrave.com - sandsoftime / Lori Frisch