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WW2 USAAF "Crash Bracelet"


WaA257
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Since I discovered this forum and have interacted with several members, it has given me the itch to go through some of my items and attempt to research them with what I have learned on this forum. This "crash bracelet" was rescued from a pawn shop by me years ago where its fate was to be smelted for silver weight. I bought it to save it and also because it was a neat WW2 item to have. It is engraved with a USAAF wing and G. Stanley Wheeler on the reverse it is engraved 'Happy Landing Honey" I have found out that it belonged to 2 Lt. George Stanley Wheeler of the 331st Bomb Sq., 94th Bomb Group a B-17 crewman who was KIA over France on 07Oct44. The name of his B-17 was "The Spirit Of Valley Forge". He is buried in the American Cemetary in St. Avold, France. Forum member Vertol assisted me by having a friend on a French forum named Jeremy respond to St. Avold and obtain pictures for me. post-12412-1281249163.jpegpost-12412-1281249176.jpegpost-12412-1281249190.jpeg

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CJ, I was running names with serial numbers on some items in my collection. This one came back as a hit on the American Battlefield Monuments Commission website much to my surprise and showed him buried in the cemetery in France. Today I was checking some more and found out even more on a site I just discovered, the Army Air Forces forum. Lt. Wheeler was the pilot of the aircraft and it was his first mission. His group was on a mission to Bohlen, Germany. 12 minutes before the IP, his group was jumped by approximately 50-60 German fighter aircraft. Only the radioman and tail gunner survived.

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Thanks for saving this great piece of history.

You are doing good by saving this item, which once belonged to a person who sacrificed all.

I always have an extra interest in ID´d objects and their history especially KIA stuff.

 

Thanks, Tom

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