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| Lt. Ralph Keller was a B-25 pilot in the 310th Bombardment Group. |
Ralph was born on December 2, 1918 in Topeka, Kansas. His parents Frederick and Etta were both born in Kansas. He had one older sister, one older brother, and one younger brother. His father was the proprietor of a grocery store in Topeka, Kansas. He was a graduate of Topeka High School, where he was a cheerleader and the president of student council in 1937. In 1940, he was living in Baltimore, Maryland with his wife Mary and worked as a clerk for the Social Security Board.
Ralph enlisted in the US Army Air Corps on July 8, 1942. He completed flight training and on July 10, 1944 Lt. Keller was assigned to the 379th Bombardment Squadron, 310th Bombardment Group of the 12th Air Force stationed on the island of Corsica. He evidently passed time between missions playing baseball, as the 379th Squadron’s daily log for September 12, 1944 notes that the “Oldtimers” beat the “Goons” 5-3 and that Lt. Keller “played a notable role in the victory”.
Just 6 days later on September 18, 1944 Lt. Keller flew his sixth combat mission as the pilot of B-25J Mitchell 43-28075 to bomb enemy gun positions and troop concentrations at Rimini, Italy. The 379th’s daily log states that the plane was hit by heavy and intense flak and was listed as missing in action. It was later determined that Lt. Keller and three other members of the crew were killed in action. Two crew members survived, but were captured by the enemy and held as prisoners of war.
Ralph Harlan Keller is buried in Penwell-Gabel Cemetery and Mausoleum in Topeka, Kansas. His widow remarried at some point.
Thank you Lr. Keller for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Ralph.
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This profile was written by Bob Fuerst. "I’m a NASA engineer, B-17 Flying Fortress enthusiast, and amateur genealogist so this kind of research is an ideal outlet for me. But more than anything, it’s a way to express my sincere appreciation for The Greatest Generation and the sacrifices that they made, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice. They should never be forgotten and I’m grateful to Don for allowing me to play a small part in honoring them."
Last year on this date I profiled Silver Star hero Dr. Robert Schorsch of the 101st Airborne Division. You can read about Robert here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
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