Ola Bruner Kelso was the son of Ola Bruner Kelso and Fannie Mae Ola Lowery.
Cpl. Kelso, Flier, Is Declared Dead.
Was Reported Missing After November, 1944, Attack
Cpl. O.B. Kelso, Jr., 21, husband of Mrs. Glenese Reed Kelso, 3720 Oweda Terrace, and son of Mr. and Mrs. O.B. Fannie Kelso, 214 Signal View Street, radio operator missing in action with a 11th Air Force bomber crew in the Kuriles since November 1944 has been officially declared dead, the War Department informed his wife yesterday.
A graduate of Central High School and a former employee of the Wheland Company in Chattanooga, Cpl. Kelso was on his third mission with a B-25 Mitchell bomber group when attacked by four Jap Zero planes, one of which was said to have struck his craft while on a photographic mission. His group was engaged in a photo sweep over enemy installations and had flown from a base on Attu in the Aleutian Islands.
Cpl Kelso entered duty with the air forces in April, 1943 received primary training at Scott Field, Ill. and won his gunnery wings at Buckingham Field, Fort Myers, Fla., in March, 1943. He went overseas two months later.
A member of White Oak Methodist Church, Cpl. Kelso is survived by his wife, a two-year-old son, Ronald Jerry, his parents, brother, Raymond Kelso, and a sister, Miss Mildred Kelso, all of Chattanooga.
-The Chattanooga Times, November 13, 1945
He was serving with the 77th Bomber Squadron, 28th Bomber Group at the time of his death.
Corporal Kelso’s body was never recovered and his name is memorialized at the Tablets of the Missing, Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Crew members of aircraft B-25J with serial number 43-36181
Pilot, 2nd Lt Alfred E. Muldoon
Co-Pilot, F/O Glen E. Morris
Navigator/Bombardier, 2nd Lt Frank W. Putman
Weather Observer, T/Sgt James K. Hastings
Engineer/Gunner, Cpl Hubert G. Downs
Radio Operator/Gunner, Cpl Ola B. Kelso Jr.
Armorer/Gunner, Pvt Candeloro O. Salvat
The Chattanooga Daily Times, 13 November 1945
Cpl. O.B. Kelso Jr., 21, husband of Mrs. Glenese Reed Kelso, 3720 Oweda Terrace, and son of Mr. and Mrs. O.B. Kelso, 214 Signal View Street, radio operator missing in action with a 11th Air Force bombing crew in the Kuriles since November, 1944 has been officially declared dead, the War Department informed his wife yesterday. A graduate of Central High School and a former employe of the Wheland Company in Chattanooga, Cpl. Kelso was on his third mission with a B-25 Mitchell bomber group when attacked by four Jap Zero planes, one of which was said to have struck his craft while on a photographic mission. His group was engaged in a Photo sweep over enemy installations and had flown from a base on Attu in the Aleutian Islands.
Cpl. Kelso entered duty with the air forces in April, 1943; received primary training at Scott Field, Ill., and won his gunnery wings at Buckingham Field, Fort Myers, Fla., in March, 1943. He went overseas two months later. A member of the While Oak Methodist Church, Copl. Kelso is survived by his wife; a two-year-old son Ronald Jerry; his parents; brother Raymond Kelso, and a sister, Miss Mildred Kelso, all of Chattanooga.
- Rank: Corporal
- Date of birth: 7 April 1924
- Date of death: 6 November 1944
- County: Hamilton
- Hometown: Chattanooga
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 77th Bomber Squadron, 28th Bomber Group, Heavy
- Theater: Pacific
- Conflict: World War II
- Awards: Purple Heart
- Burial/Memorial Location: Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii
- Location In Memorial: Pillar X, Top Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Ola B. Kelso Jr.
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