Overview The Harold K. and Charlene B. Hartell World War II Collection documents the personal careers of the Hartells during the war, primarily from 1942 to 1945. The collection documents Harold’s training and service as a bombardier in the United States Air Corps and Charlene’s training and work for North American Aviation building B-25 bombers.

Contents of the Collection The collection consists of an incident report and photographs of a B-17G crew, 490th Bomber Group, 850th Squadron, based in Eye, East Anglia, England with its aircraft that was damaged by enemy fire during a bombing mission on March 9, 1945. The two-page report by B-17 pilot Robert Mason describes that the crew came under flak fire en route to their bombing target: railroad yards in Frankfurt, Germany. A shell passed through the No. 2 engine in the left wing without exploding. After...