The following is as an OCR scan which probably has some of the usual OCR 'typos' remaining.

Who is Edwin H Keel

In telephone communication to this very senior citizen he said, "I am still working, I'll never retire!" I get up very early every working day and put in a full honest day at my Keel Welding and Fabrication Shot, in La Grange. On Sunday, I go to church and believe in God. What is his connection and story to the 558 ? It's a good one!


Edwin joined the Army Air Corp right after Pearl Harbor on January 3, 1942. Aptitude test revealed he was mechanically minded so was sent to Keisler Field, Aircraft Mechanics School, Biloxi, MS. His next assignment was Kendall Field, Panama City, Florida. At Carlsbad, New Mexico he attended the Bombardiers School and received the Bombardier's Enlisted man's Classification of #509. Right after he completed the training course The War Department announced that future Bombardiers would be Flight Officers or Officers.


Keel was ordered to Godman Field, Ky where he was in training and flew as a crewmember in a North American B-25. Later, he was reclassified and sent to Barksdale Field, Shreveport, LA; then on to Lake Charles, LA where he trained in a Martin Marauder B-26 as an Engineer/Gunner on a combat crew. Eventually, he was assigned to Donald "DB" Block's combat crew, and they flew the Southern Route to England.


They turned their aircraft over to the 387th Bombardment Group at Chipping Ongar, Chelmsford, England and were sent to Ireland for further combat training. Upon their return, they were assigned to the 558th Bomb Squadron on June 5, 1944. The next day would be D-Day on the beaches at Normandy.


Keel had the rank of T/SGT and the classification of Togglier/Bombardier on "DB" Blocks crew. The duties of a togglier were to fly missions in the bombardier's position in the nose of a B-26. When the flight leader with an Officer Bombardier aboard opened his bomb bays, the toggliers in the following aircraft opened their bomb bays. When the lead aircraft dropped his bombs, the toggliers released their bombs simultaneously. Somewhere along the line he was called "Skeet" and that nickname has stuck with him ever since.


"Skeet" Keel completed his tour of 65 missions and was returned to the Z.I. (Zone of the Interior). But there is one mission that he will never forget! A mission full of excitement, danger and where he was wounded. The memories are still sharp and clear today - 56 years later.


"Skeet" states, "In looking back over that mission it is more scarier today then when we did it. The target that day in March 1945 was to destroy the Crown Prince Wilhelm Bridge over the Rhine River in Germany, near Coblenz. The lack of space in the mission briefing room permitted only the pilots, bombardiers, togglier/bombardiers and navigators to assemble. The flak information was short and brief---barrage flak and plenty of it. It was indeed a very heavy protected target to attack. The Ninth Air Force B-26 Medium Bomber Groups were assigned the target since it was considered a tactical target that was needed in close air support for "Speedy" General George F. Patton's tank battalions. Someone had said that the Ninth Air Force had been renamed Pattons Air Force, because they were with him all the way from Normandy.


Pilot 1st Lt. Donald "DB" Block gathered our crew around the nose wheel of his aircraft "Barrell Lass" and briefed them on the mission and target. Our aircraft would fly in the number 2 position off the flight leaders right wing in the second box of the formation. We would be carrying two 2000 lb bombs. As we neared the I P (Initial Point to start the bomb run) evasive action was stopped and the formation settled down to straight and steady flying to the target. This is the most vulnerable time. (We were like sitting ducks)


Edwin states, "I could see the first box getting blasted by the flak barrage that was set up right over the target! It was huge black cloud of anti-aircraft shell explosions. (So now I know what barrage flak is like?) We made our bomb run, a near by burst sent a piece of shrapnel through the Plexiglas nose section. It was just above the 50-caliber gun mount and gave us immediate air conditioning. The next piece of flak broke through the Plexiglas going from right to left, just in front of my flak vest. To make sure our bombs would go armed, I leaned over to the right to check the bomb fuse arming switch. At the same time there was a loud explosion under our left wing. The aircraft was knocked out of the formation; a piece of flak tore off the bomb toggling release switch to my left. The flak hit me in the left shoulder, wounding me and knocked me against the fuselage with my head ending up at the co-pilots feet and rudder pedals."

Pilot "DB" Blocks aileron controls had been severed and were inoperative. He told the co-pilots whose aileron controls were operating to take over the flying of the aircraft.

"SALVO THE BOMBS!" was the cry over the intercom! I regained my composure, but the salvo lever was gone. I hollered in the intercom for the upper turret gunner, Markie, to kick the emergency salvo switch at his feet. The bomb bay doors opened, and we unloaded our two armed 20001b bombs somewhere over Germany.


Then pilot 1st Lt. "DB" Block asked, "Can we catch up with the formation?" But the formation had altered course and now was proceeding to the alternate target. I gave him a, "NEGATIVE!" He then asked for the compass heading home, (which in all the confusion) I did remember! With Co-Pilot Lt. C.J. Williams required to continue flying the aircraft, we headed south toward Nancy, France. Without the formation doing the evasive action, it was necessary to do our own evasive action to disrupt the enemy anti-aircraft gunners aiming points.

At Nancy, we turned west, crossed over the bomb line where an insignificant three-gun enemy battery hailed us for a shot or two (It was a parting farewell greeting) and we "zipped" into allied territory. At last we were over friendly soil. We ceased evasive action and flew straight and steady.

"Barrell Lass" was hitting top speed with no bomb load on board and slowly losing altitude. With steady hands at the controls everything trimmed and assistance from other crew members, Co-Pilot Lt. Williams slowly slid back his seat, snapped back the rudder pedals, and I quickly crawled out of the nose compartment. I then went to the navigator's station and got on the "G-Box," a valuable radar instrument and an aid to navigation.


Approaching the airfield with red flares being fired to notify them of an emergency landing, the fire trucks and ambulances were lined up and waiting. We safely ground to a halt.


T/Sgt Edwin H. Keel was awarded the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart). "Skeet" says, "The citation I received stated that I remained at my post, directing the evasive action, until safely back over

allied territory despite serious injury." The real fact remains that they could not let me out of the nose compartment. As all B-26 crews know, with the co-pilot required to fly the B-26 type of aircraft, a person in the nose compartment can not get out because it requires the co-pilot to slide back his seat and re-adjust his rudder pedals for a person to evacuate that nose position.


As one of the "older" men in the outfit today at the young age of 86, my memory and my fingers are getting tired yet I am happy to be able to tell this story. I salute, not only the members of the crew of "Barell Lass," but all the men who comprised the 387th Bombardment Group (M). All of us have to prepare for our mission journey to meet our reward in heaven; let us all acknowledge our God and Savior, who brought us safely home. To the "Barell Lass" crew and especially to 1st Lt. Donald "DB" Block, 2' Lt. C. J. Williams, Sgt William Markle (D), Sgt C.D. Atkins and Sgt R.J. Schug (D). I THANK YOU!

Edwin. H. "Skeet" Keel (T/Sgt Togglier/Bombardier, 558th Bomb Squadron)

From 387th NL, December 2001