Serviceman
Francis S Key
Play his story on the map built from his record
- Army serial number
- 0734923
- Rank
- 2nd Lt (26 October 1943), 2nd Lt (29 November 1943), 1LT (14 June 1944), 1LT (6 July 1944), 1LT (21 August 1944), 1st Lt (5 September 1944), 1LT (13 September 1944)
- Hometown
- TRACY MN; Tracy MN
- Also written
- Francis Key
- In the book
- Heroes of the 483rd, p. 14, 265
- Sources
- 483bg-record, assoc-roster, heroes-book, morning-report · service record at 483bg.org
Crews
- Lamar P. Bentley Crew · 840th
- Ray H. Whitaker Crew · 840th
Missions placed on him
- mission 29, 6 June 1944 · Galati · Listed with the Ray H. Whitaker crew, which flew it per its history (p. 265); whether he was aboard that day is not recorded
- mission 35, 23 June 1944 · Ploesti · The Ray H. Whitaker crew's history names Ploesti: one of 3 missions there in its time (p. 265)
- mission 48, 9 July 1944 · Ploesti · The Ray H. Whitaker crew's history names Ploesti: one of 3 missions there in its time (p. 265)
- mission 50, 15 July 1944 · Ploesti · The Ray H. Whitaker crew's history names Ploesti: one of 3 missions there in its time (p. 265)
- mission 51, 18 July 1944 · Memmingen · Listed with the Ray H. Whitaker crew, which flew it per its history (p. 265); whether he was aboard that day is not recorded
- mission 83, 1 September 1944 · Niš · Listed with the Lamar P. Bentley crew, which flew it per its history (p. 14); whether he was aboard that day is not recorded
A report lists him aboard, or his crew's history in Heroes of the 483rd dates the mission; the book is cited by page and not reproduced. The rest of his squadron's missions in his window are not placed on him by any document.
Awards
| Date | Award | General order | Rank then |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 June 1944 | Air Medal | 1048 | 1LT |
| 6 July 1944 | Air Medal, 1st oak leaf cluster | 1604 | 1LT |
| 6 July 1944 | Air Medal, 2nd oak leaf cluster | 1611 | 1LT |
| 21 August 1944 | Air Medal, 3rd oak leaf cluster | 2724 | 1LT |
| 13 September 1944 | Distinguished Flying Cross | 3332 | 1LT |
From the general orders indexed by the Army Air Corps Library and Museum.
Morning reports
6 entries, first 26 October 1943, last 5 September 1944; grades seen: 1st Lt, 2nd Lt. The clerk's sentence is quoted as the machine read it from microfilm: "fr dy to DS" is from duty to detached service, "sk in hosp" sick in hospital, "asgd & jd" assigned and joined.
- 1943-10 HQ: 11 If " 11
- 1943-10 HQ: " = " "
- 1943-10-26 HQ: Above 0 fr DS Brooks Fld Fla to dy per MOS 0278013 Whitson (1029) Maj.
- 1943-10-31 HQ: (1034) 2nd It
- 1943-11-29 HQ: Antd 1st Lt per par 50 SO 270 WAR DEPT WASH D C dtd
- 1944-09-05 840th: I/SEt
National Archives pages: roll 452798688 p. 19, roll 452798688 p. 225, roll 453519128 p. 817, roll 453519128 p. 824, roll 456415616 p. 871, roll 570165454 p. 2619
Know something about him?
If this record is wrong or missing something, a middle name, the right squadron, who is who in a photograph, what he said about a day, tell us. Nothing you send is shown without your say-so.