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Personal info

Full name
KEILMAN, Paul Hart
Date of birth
26 June 1919
Age
23
Place of birth
Hobson, Judith Basin County, Montana
Hometown
Missoula, Missoula County, Montana

Military service

Service number
O-727349
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Bombardier
Unit
68th Bombardment Squadron,
44th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Missing in Action
Date of death
27 January 1943
Place of death
Harlingen, Terschelling, The Netherlands

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Nicholas T. Keilman (father)
Caroline (Hart) Keilman (mother)
Leroy J. Keilman (brother)
Lester A. Keilman (brother)
Myron H. Keilman (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
41-23690
Data
Type: B-24J
Destination: Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the naval base
MACR: 15637

More information

Paul H. Keilman graduated from Whitehall High School in 1937 and attended Montana State University. He was employed as a welder's assistant for the Northern Pacific Railway.

He joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army in Missoula, Montana, on 1 November 1941 as an aviation cadet.

The primary target as briefed was Wilhelmshaven in Germany, but due to severe weather and poor navigation, it was decided to hit a "target of opportunity" at Lemmer in the Netherlands. On the way back, the formation was attacked by Me 109s and FW 190s, numbering about 36. A few minutes later, at 11.55 hours — the aircraft severely damaged an attacking FW 190 and apparently killed the pilot. This enemy aircraft then crashed into the left wing tip, tearing off the left wing as well as the tail assembly. The aircraft went into a flat spin and crashed into the rather shallow Wadden Sea, as did the FW. No one was able to parachute and there were no survivors. Despite a large-scale search by both the Germans and Dutch, only the bodies of three American airmen were found and identified.

Lt Keilman is remembered at Saint Mary's Cemetery in Missoula, Montana.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - Family Trees, WWII Draft Card

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.americanairmuseum.com, www.findagrave.com - tom c