Missing information?

Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?

Submit

Personal info

Full name
ROBERTS, Chelsa Wilbur
Date of birth
21 July 1917
Age
26
Place of birth
Missouri
Hometown
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California

Military service

Service number
O-681704
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
95th Fighter Squadron,
82nd Fighter Group
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
16 June 1944
Place of death
40 miles north of Lake Balaton, Hungary

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
D 4 18

Immediate family

Members
Chesla W. Roberts (father)
Helen C. (Sherman) Roberts (mother)
Marjorie G. Roberts (sister)
Virginia N. Roberts (sister)
Norma Roberts (sister)
Adrai F. Roberts (sister)
J. David Roberts (brother)
Stanley D. Roberts (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
43-28800
Data
Type: P-38J 15LO
Destination: Vienna, Austria
Mission: Bomber Escort
MACR: 5769

More information

Statement from James D. Halloway, 2nd Lt, Air Corps, 95th Fighter Squadron:
Two FW 190s came in on flight ahead of us. I had to put my plane into straight down power dive to get them off. Two men followed me down, of which Lt Roberts was #3 man. I reached 650 MPH and had a considerable bit of trouble pulling out. Just as my wingman and I got control of our dives an explosion happened right under us which must have been the #3 man who followed me down as we only barely made it at about 3,000 feet or lower. I never saw the #3 man after pulling out of the dive.

Chelsa Roberts attended Illinois State Normal University in Normal, Illinois. He enlisted in the Air Corps on 18 April 1942 at Chicago in Illinois.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1920-1930 Census, www.findagrave.com

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.ancestry.com - Illinois State Normal University yearbook 1938