US WWII 8th Air Force
Air Gunner B-14 Uniform
Grouping - KIA - 96th
Bomb Group - MUNSTER
Raid
Named grouping to S/Sgt.
Thomas J. KEEFE, Jr.
He served as a BALL
TURRET GUNNER with the
413 Bomb Squadron, of
the 96th Bomb Group.
At 1023 on January 4,
1944, Keefe was flying
in B-17F #42-30518,
Short Stride IV which
collided with B-17F
#42-5923, Skin and
Bones. The collision
occurred at 52⁰20’N
07⁰10’E at 25,000’. Both
aircraft were from the
96th Bombardment Group
(H), 413th Bombardment
Squadron (H). B-17
#42-30518 crashed near
Lingen, Germany and B-17
#42-5923 crashed near
Gronau, Germany. The
radio operator, T/Sgt.
Lyall W. Taubert; right
waist gunner, S/Sgt
Gerald R. Waldron, Jr.;
and tail gunner, S/Sgt.
John Y. Young on B-17F
#42-30518, Short Stride
IV, survived the
collision and became
prisoners of war. The
pilot, 1st Lt. James E.
McLean; the copilot, 2nd
Lt. Harold Ziotnick; the
navigator, 2nd Lt. John
R. Gray; the bombardier,
2nd Lt. John E. McGee;
the top turret gunner,
T/Sgt. Richard R. Winn;
the ball turret gunner,
S/Sgt. Thomas J. Keefe,
Jr; and the left waist
gunner, S/Sgt. David
Miller, Jr. were all
killed in action. All
ten crewmembers of B-17F
#42-5953, Skin and
Bones, were killed.
The grouping comes with
his fantastic condition
B-14 Jacket, great
BRITISH MADE 8th AF
patch, DUC ribbon,
British Made ribbon bars, VERY nice
Air Gunner's Wings -
scarce version without
the "O" target behind
the flying bullet,
sterling pin back with
clutch post seats - one
of the best Air Gunner
Wings you can find. Also
comes with uniform
pants, shirt, tie and
belt. Family must have
sewn the ruptured Duck
insignia on as a memento
since he was KIA in
1943.
$750