Shaver Kenneth 34036141 KIA Belgium 05 november 1943

[Alain57]

Hello ,

Who can tell me somemore about this man Shaver Kenneth 34036141 KIA
at Lokeren Belgium on 05 november 1943 in a B-17 crash;Found this info in a German AV report

Greets
Alain57

[RSwank]

Kenneth Daniel Shaver was the Flight Eng/Top Turret Gunner on B-17 42-30142, "Pistol Packin Mama". He was not KIA but actually evaded. He was first reported missing in 1943 then incorrectly reported dead in 1944.

MACR is here (note it contains some 10 or so pages from a different MACR):
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/90936783

The Fort Log has:

42-30142 Del Cheyenne 15/4/43; Sioux City 30/4/43; Kearney 4/5/43; Bangor 22/5/43; Ass
544BS/384BG [SU-L] Grafton Underwood 29/9/43; trans 560BS/388BG Knettishall /43; MIA {35m}
Gelsenkirchen 5/11/43

w/Roy Walker, n-Ken Haines, b-Don Naughton, ro-George Harper, wg-Luther Hawkins (5 POW);

wg-Bill Marshall, btg-Bob Feese (2 KIA); cp-Bill Koenig, ettg-Ken Shaver, tg-John
Buckner (3 EVD after escaping from POW train); flak, c/l Ijzendijke, eight miles SE of Flushing, Hol;

MACR 3123. PISTOL PACKIN' MAMA

(Note: William Koenig and John Buckner were recaptured, only Shaver successfully evaded and made it to Spain. So for the crew of 10 men, 2 were KIA, 7 were POWs and 1 (Shaver) evaded.)

Shaver E&E Report: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/5555315
Clayton C David E&E report: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/5555314 (David was from the 303BG/358BS (B-17) 42-29524 Meat Hound)
(Shaver and David made it to Spain together in Apr 44.)


Newspaper Clipping from 1943 announcing Shaver Missing: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7314...-and-observer/
Newspaper Clipping from 1944 announcing Shaver Dead: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7315...otte-observer/
Newspaper Clipping from June 6 1944, announcing Shaver Alive (NOW a POW??): https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7321...otte-observer/
Newspaper Clipping from June 7, 1944 announcing Shaver is NOT a POW: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7321...otte-observer/

Strange, did the family misread the telegram or did the newspaper make a mistake on the story.

A photo of the plane is here: http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/4109


Shaver died in 2006 and his obit is here: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ch...r&pid=17732536

or here with a photo: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7314...otte-observer/


Here is the story of Shaver's escape as reported in a 1946 North Carolina newspaper. Perhaps a "little" more dramatic than what he wrote in his E&E above ;-)

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7315...otte-observer/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7315...otte-observer/

[edwest2]

It appears he was the flight engineer/top turret gunner on this one:


42-30142

Delivered Cheyenne 15/4/43; Sioux City 30/4/43; Kearney 4/5/43; Bangor 22/5/43; Assigned 544BS/384BG [SU-L] Grafton Underwood 29/9/43; transferred 560BS/388BG Knettishall /43; Missing in Action 35m Gelsenkirchen 5/11/43 with Roy Walker, Navigator: Ken Haines, Bombardier: Don Naughton, Radio Operator: George Harper, Waist gunner: Luther Hawkins (5 Prisoner of War); Waist gunner: Bill Marshall, Ball turret gunner: Bob Feese (2 Killed in Action); Co-pilot: Bill Koenig, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Ken Shaver,Tail gunner: John Buckner (3 evaded capture after escaping from POW train); flak, crash landed Ijzendijke, eight miles SE of Flushing, Hol; Missing Air Crew Report 3123. PISTOL PACKIN' MAMA.

[Alain57]

Goodmorning ,

Thank you very much for the help , so this matter is solvedSo the question now is who was buried at Lokeren cemetery , one of the two dead on board?

Best Regards
Alain57

[Leendert]

Alain,

Both Feese and Marshall Jr. were initially buried in Vlissingen on 9 Nov 1943 and in 1946 reburied at Ardennes American Cemetery.
This indeed leaves your question open about the man reported buried in Lokeren.

Groet,
Leendert

[RSwank]

Here is the incorrect AV 372/43 report for Shaver (see page 50):

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/17352038

It appears the Germans mixed up the dog tags. In Shaver's E&E report he mentions that his dog tags were in his jacket (not around his neck) and the Germans took them when he was first captured at/near Ijzendijke (which is about 20+ miles from Lockeren). Was there another B-17 or B-24 lost at/near Lockeren on or about 5 Nov 43?

Here is a possibility, B-17 42-30789 MACR 3137, Apparently crashed at Lokeren (see page 20), two dead in plane. Rest of the crew bailed out.

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/90937088

Men buried at Lokeren were Albertus Harrenstein and John Craig. Both are now buried in the U.S.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...us-harrenstein
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...9/john-m-craig

Note, Harrenstein was reported dead in April, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7319...ines-register/
Craig was reported dead in June, 1944: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7319...kland-tribune/

Fort Log Summary:
42-30789 Del Cheyenne 28/7/43; Dyersburg 7/8/43; Ass 563BS/388BG Knettishall 3/9/43; MIA
Gelsenkirchen 5/11/43 w/Bill Bramwell, cp-Bill Current, n-Chas Smith, wg-Les Meader, btg-Joe Sage
(5POW); b-John Maiorca, ettg-H.C. Johnson, wg-George Watt (3EVD); ro-Albertus Harrenstein{found in
wreckage}, tg-John Craig (2KIA); flak, cr Lokeren, Bel; MACR 3137. FLAK SUIT

[Leendert]

Alain,
This link may be of interest to you: https://www.hangarflying.eu/erfgoeds...b-17-42-30789/

It says that two killed crew members (Harrenstein and Craig) were buried at Lokeren cemetery.

Groet,
Leendert

[Alain57]

Hello ,

Thank you all for the help.

Alain57