S/Sgt.

Charles Arnold Spaulding

Flexible / Waist Gunner

544th Bomb Squadron

384th Bombardment Group (Heavy)

Serial Nr. 39828869

MIA 20/07/1943 Aged 27

Combat Missions Credited - 8

Resting Place - Tablets of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery, Madingley, Cambridge, UK

Charles was born on 11th March 1916, in Modoc County, California. His grandparent Charles Arthur Spaulding was of Scottish ancestry, with the Spaulding family originally beginning a lumber business in Maine, before moving to Joseph Creek in the mid-1870's to set up a saw mill. It was here that Charles (grand father) met his future wife, Ellen Stoddard, who was employed at the mill as a cook. Their son, Chester Arthur Spaulding was to marry Hattie Leola Poindexter, who had six children - Charlie, George, Weller, Harvey, Leola and Myra. Following the death of Hattie, Chester was to remarry, with Charlie gaining two half-sisters, Audrey and Margie.

On the 31st October 1941, Charles was to marry Eldred (Ellie) May Jackson in Reno, Nevada. They had met when Charles had gone to work on her father's ranch in Gerlach, Nevada. He was employed as a 'cowpuncher' (cowboy), he loved horses and was well known in Nevada and California as a talented rodeo rider.

On the 20th July 1942 Charles enlisted, completing his training in Utah and Idaho. He was subsequently assigned as a Flexible / Waist Gunner to the 544th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bombardment Group (Heavy), based at Station 106, Grafton Underwood, UK. His first combat mission came on 15th August 1943, and on the 1st October 1943 he was to be promoted from Private to Staff Sergeant, by which time he had earnt credit for a total of 5 combat missions. 

On his 2nd combat mission, 16th August 1943, the new crew was to tragically lose their Radio Operator, T/Sgt. Melvin A. Feigenbaum, who was found dead at his station during the mission from a bullet wound. You can read T/Sgt. Melvin A. Feigenbaum's full story on the Museum website, under Personal Stories.

On the 9th October 1943, the 384th Bombardment Group took part in their 30th combat mission. The target for the day was the aircraft factories at Anklam, eastern Germany. Their aircraft for the mission was B-17F #42-29814 The Dallas Rebel.

On the return from the mission, Major Kettelson (Group Leader), reported a running battle with Luftwaffe fighters after leaving the target area which was to continue for the next two hours. The group also flew close to Bostock and were subjected to a flak barrage. 

After the main attacks had ceased, The Dallas Rebel was spotted in difficulty. Most of the vertical rudder had been shot away, the aircraft appeared to be having difficulties maintaining level flight and it was under attack from six enemy aircraft. At 13.41 the aircraft was forced to ditch, around 50 miles west of the Danish coast. 

Of the crew of ten, there were no survivors. No bodies were recovered, and today the entire crew is listed as Missing In Action. 

In January 1945, Eldred received on behalf of Charlie the Citation of Honor from the Army Air Force, his Purple Heart medal and also The Presidential Citation.

Eldred wrote several poems about Charlie after his death. Her letters lovingly described him as "such an alive, outgoing person, so full of life and energy, as well as being thoughtful of other people's feelings." Eldred also wrote that Charlie had a beautiful tenor voice, and was frequently asked to sing - one of his favourite songs being "I'll take you home again, Kathleen."

Eldred went to work for the Civil Service, at McClellan Air Force Base, where she was "happy to be around  the aircraft that Charlie had known and loved". She was to remarry during 1945, and eventually retired from the her role at the Air Force Base in 1985. Eldred was to pass away in 2009.

Research courtesy of Keith Andrews on behalf of 384th Bombardment Group Museum. My thanks to Kat Lee for her help in piecing together this story of her relative, and for providing some of the images attached.

With kind thanks to the 384th Bomb Group website www.384thbombgroup.com for permission in using material from their records in the making of this story. It holds a wealth of information, documents and photographs of their activities during World War 2.

Further information courtesy of www.newspapers.com, www.ancestory.com and www.findagrave.com