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First Name: Keith

Last Name: Allen

Birthplace: USA

Gender: Male

Branch: U.S. Army Air Forces (1941 - 1947)



Home of Record: Cook County, IL
Middle Name: Nichols



Date of Birth: 22 June 1908

Date of Death: 21 September 1944

Rank: Lieutenant Colonel

Years Served:
Keith Nichols Allen

   
Engagements:
•  World War II (1941 - 1945)

Biography:

Keith Nichols Allen
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army Air Forces

Keith Nichols Allen was the son of Howard R. and Lodica Edna Nichols Allen.

On 20 September 1944, Lieutenant Colonel Keith Nichols Allen was serving with the 1403rd Base Unit in the European Theater of Operations.

On that day, LTC Allen was the pilot of an aircraft over Norway. CPT Schreiner, co-pilot, and 7 crew members took off from Leuchars on an operational mission to drop supplies to the underground in Norway. After crossing the coastline in Norway, the number 1 engine began to smoke and run rough. This condition continued until they reached the target area and released the containers. The engine then caught fire and was feathered and the fire extinguished itself. They decided to head for Murmansk to avoid the risk going back across the North Sea. The plane finally crossed the mouth of the Kola inlet as the crew looked for a place to land. Three searchlight cones of 3 each were turned on, indicating an airfield. While turning back toward the airfield, LTC Allen, unknowingly, flew over the Russian Battleship Archangel. During this time the Russian colors of the day were being fired from the Very pistol, all lights on the plane were turned on, including the landing lights, and calls were being made on the International distress frequency. But the battleship Archangel opened fire, along with some shore batteries, hitting engine number 2 which caught fire. The anti-aircraft fire also shot off the left rudder and damaged the left wing. With the plane on fire, LTC Allen ordered CPT Schreiner and the crew to bail out, advising that he would follow. The engineer released 2 life rafts through the bomb bay. The right waist gunner was hit by flak and bailed out, the navigator escaped through the nose wheel well after destroying the classified material and making sure the IFF was destroyed. LTC Allen did not get out and his courageous action, at the cost of his life, earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Purple Heart
Air Medal
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Army Air Forces Senior Pilot Badge

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

Lieutenant Colonel (Air Corps) Keith N. Allen (ASN: 0-303121), United States Army Air Forces, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of an Airplane in the 1403d Base Unit, in aerial action on 20 September 1944, over Norway. On that date Lieutenant Colonel Keith Allen, pilot, Captain Schreiner, co-pilot, and seven crew members took off from Leuchars on an operational mission to drop supplies to the underground in Norway. After crossing the coastline in Norway, number one engine began to smoke and run rough. This condition continued until they reached the target area and released the containers. The engine then caught fire and was feathered and the fire extinguished itself. They decided to head for Murmansk as heading back across the North Sea was a bit risky. The plane finally crossed the mouth of the Kola inlet as the crew looked for a place to land. Three searchlight cones of three each were turned on, indicating an airfield. In attempting to turn back toward the airfield, without knowing it, the pilot flew over the Russian Battleship Archangel. During this time the Russian colors of the day were being fired from the Very pistol, all lights on the plane were turned on, including the landing lights, and calls were being made on the International distress frequency. At this time, the battleship Archangel opened fired along with some shore batteries, hitting engine number two which caught fire, shooting off the left rudder and damaging the left wing. With the plane on fire Colonel Allen ordered Captain Schreiner to bail out the crew, advising that he would follow. The engineer released two life rafts through the bomb bay. The right waist gunner was hit by flak and bailed out, the navigator escaped thru the nose wheel well after destroying the classified material and making sure the IFF was destroyed. Lieutenant Colonel Allen's unquestionable devotion to duty at the cost of his life is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself and the United States Army Air Forces.

General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Strategic Forces in Europe, General Orders No. 9 (1945)

Burial

Lieutenant Colonel Keith Nichols Allen is buried at the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Arlington County, VA, in Section 3, Site 1960-A.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=48999236



Honoree ID: 311535   Created by: MHOH

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