Joseph served as a First Lieutenant & Pilot on B-17F #42-30421, 561st Bomber Squadron, 388th Bomber Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Onondaga County, New York prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on April 14, 1941, prior to the war, in Syracuse, New York. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Retail manager and also as Single, without dependents.
B-17F #42-30421 took off, with a crew of 10, on a bombing mission over Emden, Germany. A few minutes after bombs away they were apparently hit by flak and the propeller on the number one engine was feathered while at the same time a minor fire started in the number two engine. The B-17 entered a spiral dive over the North Sea while the crew bailed out. Ten parachutes were observed. The entire crew was never seen again.
Joseph was "Killed In Action" in this crash during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # O-733857
His burial is in the Sacred Heart cemetery in Geddes (just north west of town) on Lawrence Road.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
( Burial found by: Anne Cady )
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-17F #42-30421:
Dekeyrel, Henry R. ~ S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, IL
Felece, Joseph F. ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, NY
Harper, Eugene R. ~ S/Sgt, Waist Gunner, KS
Harrington, William F. ~ Sgt, Waist Gunner, CA
Kendall, Joseph W. ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, DC
Parsons, John A. ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, OH
Rubens, Burton ~ T/Sgt, Engineer, PA
Salyer, Billy M. ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, MO
Sullivan, Joseph W. ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, OH
Wilson, Donald D. ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, ID
( Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
He resided in Onondaga County, New York prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on April 14, 1941, prior to the war, in Syracuse, New York. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Retail manager and also as Single, without dependents.
B-17F #42-30421 took off, with a crew of 10, on a bombing mission over Emden, Germany. A few minutes after bombs away they were apparently hit by flak and the propeller on the number one engine was feathered while at the same time a minor fire started in the number two engine. The B-17 entered a spiral dive over the North Sea while the crew bailed out. Ten parachutes were observed. The entire crew was never seen again.
Joseph was "Killed In Action" in this crash during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # O-733857
His burial is in the Sacred Heart cemetery in Geddes (just north west of town) on Lawrence Road.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
( Burial found by: Anne Cady )
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-17F #42-30421:
Dekeyrel, Henry R. ~ S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, IL
Felece, Joseph F. ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, NY
Harper, Eugene R. ~ S/Sgt, Waist Gunner, KS
Harrington, William F. ~ Sgt, Waist Gunner, CA
Kendall, Joseph W. ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, DC
Parsons, John A. ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, OH
Rubens, Burton ~ T/Sgt, Engineer, PA
Salyer, Billy M. ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, MO
Sullivan, Joseph W. ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, OH
Wilson, Donald D. ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, ID
( Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
Joseph served as a First Lieutenant & Pilot on B-17F #42-30421, 561st Bomber Squadron, 388th Bomber Group, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.
He resided in Onondaga County, New York prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on April 14, 1941, prior to the war, in Syracuse, New York. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Retail manager and also as Single, without dependents.
B-17F #42-30421 took off, with a crew of 10, on a bombing mission over Emden, Germany. A few minutes after bombs away they were apparently hit by flak and the propeller on the number one engine was feathered while at the same time a minor fire started in the number two engine. The B-17 entered a spiral dive over the North Sea while the crew bailed out. Ten parachutes were observed. The entire crew was never seen again.
Joseph was "Killed In Action" in this crash during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # O-733857
His burial is in the Sacred Heart cemetery in Geddes (just north west of town) on Lawrence Road.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
( Burial found by: Anne Cady )
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-17F #42-30421:
Dekeyrel, Henry R. ~ S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, IL
Felece, Joseph F. ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, NY
Harper, Eugene R. ~ S/Sgt, Waist Gunner, KS
Harrington, William F. ~ Sgt, Waist Gunner, CA
Kendall, Joseph W. ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, DC
Parsons, John A. ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, OH
Rubens, Burton ~ T/Sgt, Engineer, PA
Salyer, Billy M. ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, MO
Sullivan, Joseph W. ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, OH
Wilson, Donald D. ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, ID
( Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
He resided in Onondaga County, New York prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army on April 14, 1941, prior to the war, in Syracuse, New York. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Retail manager and also as Single, without dependents.
B-17F #42-30421 took off, with a crew of 10, on a bombing mission over Emden, Germany. A few minutes after bombs away they were apparently hit by flak and the propeller on the number one engine was feathered while at the same time a minor fire started in the number two engine. The B-17 entered a spiral dive over the North Sea while the crew bailed out. Ten parachutes were observed. The entire crew was never seen again.
Joseph was "Killed In Action" in this crash during the war.
He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Service # O-733857
His burial is in the Sacred Heart cemetery in Geddes (just north west of town) on Lawrence Road.
( Bio by: Russ Pickett )
( Burial found by: Anne Cady )
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on B-17F #42-30421:
Dekeyrel, Henry R. ~ S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, IL
Felece, Joseph F. ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, NY
Harper, Eugene R. ~ S/Sgt, Waist Gunner, KS
Harrington, William F. ~ Sgt, Waist Gunner, CA
Kendall, Joseph W. ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, DC
Parsons, John A. ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, OH
Rubens, Burton ~ T/Sgt, Engineer, PA
Salyer, Billy M. ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, MO
Sullivan, Joseph W. ~ 2nd Lt, Navigator, OH
Wilson, Donald D. ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, ID
( Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
Inscription
JOSEPH F FELECE
NEW YORK
1ST LIEUT 561 AAF BOMB SQ
WORLD WAR II
APRIL 26 1918 OCT 2 1943
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