Casey Ronald J.

Monuments

B-17 ‘The Passionate Witch’ & ‘Kickapoo Joy Juice’ Plaque

Name:

Ronald J. Casey

Rank:

Second Lieutenant

Serial Number:

O-753980

Unit:

728th Bombardment Squadron, Heavy

Date of Death:

1944-03-28

State:

Michigan

Cemetery:

Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia

Plot:

Section 12

Row:

Grave:

Site 705

Decoration:

Comments:

Ronald J. Casey was born on January 24, 1917. He served in the 728th Bomber Squadron, 452nd Bomb Group, as a Second Lieutenant and Co-Pilot on the B-17 #42-32082 'The Passionate Witch II' during World War II.

On March 28, 1944, his crew took off from Sation 142 airfield in Deopham Free, England, on a mission to bomb the Chateaudun airfield in France. At 14:08H, their plane was shot down by flak, taking a direct hit in the #4 tank, which ignited a huge fire. Their airplane exploded in flight and crashed 2 km south of Chateaudun airfield. The plane was totally destroyed in a ground collision with an Avro Lancaster. Six crew members (including 2Lt Casey) were Killed in Action. The others were able to bail out of the plane before it exploded but were taken as prisoners except for SSgt McLaughlin, who died in a hospital the next day.

2Lt Casey is now buried in the Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net