HISTORY
“My Baby” photographed in early or mid-summer, 1944. Photo shows 43 mission markings. She would be shot down by fighters on September 5, 1944
on her 58th mission. [Kelley]
known aircraft in the 91st BG including the “Mem- none had Irish or Scottish last names that began
phis Belle,” “Chow Hound,” “Man O War,” and “Shoo, with Mc or Mac. But the September Fail To Return
Shoo, Shoo Baby.” The figure on the left nose of (FTR) date matches my Dad’s “one month” later
“My Baby” was modeled on a photo of Brazilian time frame, I thought that perhaps Lt. Kelley’s
dancer and Hollywood movie star, Carmen Miran- nickname might be “Mac” and he had not been
da. A single color image shows lettering for “My killed after all. But how to find out was my next
Baby” was red with a black shadow on a white challenge. Ray Bowden quoted Kelley several
times in his notes, so I wrote to Bowden to find
field with a yellow decorative frame.
Finding “Mac”:
Bowden’s write-up on “My Baby” contains a great out if Kelley was alive and if so, how to contact
An Amateur Sleuth Goes to Work.
deal of information and dispelled several pre- him.
Bowden was happy to get the information on
In September, 1994 I found a new resource that conceptions I had. She was a B-17G, distinguished
my
dad’s “joy ride’ in “My Baby” and graciously
from
earlier
models
by
a
chin
turret.
Her
serial
proved key to unlocking the mystery of who “Mac”
was and how he was lost over Germany. Again, number was 42-107033. She was shot down by gave me his contact information for Ernest “Bob”
fighters on September 5, 1944, on a mission to Kelley which indicated that he lived in northern
following the suggestions of the NASM Archive’s
the I.G. Farben Chemical Works in Ludwigshafen, California. My call that was picked up by “Bob”
staff, I found another English author who focused
Germany. It was her 58th mission, but only the Kelley who was surprised, but very pleased that
on the 91st BG. Ray Bowden’s book Plane Names
second mission for her young pilot, Lt Ernest someone was calling him about his mission in
and Fancy Dames is a treasure trove of 91st BG
Robert “Bob” Kelley, who survived the shoot down. “My Baby.” He gave me much information while
aircraft names, nose art, and history of each of
Seventeen different pilots and crews had flown trying to recall names fifty years in his past. Soon
the aircraft that Bowden has been able to get her. My first preconception, that a pilot and crew he recalled that “Mac” was Lt David McCarty Jr.,
images of and information on. The artwork and were assigned an aircraft and stayed with that who was in the same 322nd BS that Kelley was
name on “My Baby” was painted by T/Sgt. Antho- aircraft until they had met the required mission in. Kelley also recalled that McCarty was lost on
ny L. “Tony” Starcer, “…destined to be one of the total and returned to the States, proved incor- another mission over Germany, but had no further
most prolific and skilled nose art painters in the rect.. Of the pilots mentioned in Bowden’s history, details. But he provided a wealth of information
entire USAAF.” Starcer painted most of the best
“My Baby” had a day off. How “Mac” got to fly a B-17
from Bassingbourn to Stoney Cross can only be
guessed. This may have been an opportunity to
break in or “zero time” a new engine, but clearly
“Mac” had another mission on his mind – to visit
his buddy, Lt Y. Z. Garner, based in Salisbury.
16
INFO Eduard
November 2023