Galyean Kenneth

Monuments

B-17s Chicken Ship, Scarlet Harlot, & Raven's Nest Crash Memorial -457th Bomber Group

Name:

Kenneth Galyean

Rank:

Second Lieutenant

Serial Number:

Unit:

749th Bomber Squadron, 457th Bomber Group

Date of Death:

1985-07-22

State:

Texas

Cemetery:

Crestview Memorial Park, Wichita Falls, Wichita County, Texas, USA

Plot:

Entrance Garden 4

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Comments:

Kenneth Galyean was born on July 19, 1918, in Dayton, Texas. He was the husband of Dottie Dee Dickerson Galyean. He served in the 749th Bomb Squadron, 457th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Navigator of B-17 (42-97537) known as "Chicken Ship" during World War II.

On April 9, 1944, during a mission targeting Marienburg (now Malbork, Poland), the plane encountered heavy enemy resistance. After taking flak damage over the target area, "Chicken Ship" lost engine power and fell behind its formation. Three German Focke-Wulf FW 190 fighters attacked, striking the aircraft and forcing the crew to abandon it. All of the crew parachuted safely and became POWs except Flight Engineer Fasone who was instantly killed. Kenneth was captured by German forces and imprisoned at Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang, Prussia. 2Lt Galyean died on July 22, 1985, and is now buried in the Crestview Memorial Park, Wichita Falls, Wichita County, Texas, USA.

Source of information: b17flyingfortress.de