Charles was a Gunner on board B-24H #42-94993 "Glammer Gal" of the 742nd Bomb Squadron, 455th Bomb Group. His plane was last observed over the target area with three engines afire. The ship had left the formation and was decending rapidly. The plane seemed to be out of control. No chutes were seen to open. The ship went down on course to target between 4729N/1836E and target 4726N-1904E (MACR: 7140).

The 455th Bomb Group primarily trained in New Mexico and Utah. The group moved to Langley Field, Virginia where they flew long-range convoy escort missions over the Mid-Atlantic from October to November 1943 when they received deployment orders for the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO). They departed Langley in December 1943 and flew to Tunisia by way of Florida, Trinidad, British Guiana, Brazil and Morocco, arriving in January 1944. The group moved to San Giovanni, Italy in February 1944 and flew its first combat mission (Anzio) on 16 February 1944 as part of the 304th Bombardment Wing, Fifteenth Air Force. They engaged in very long range strategic bombing missions to enemy military, industrial and transportation targets in Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Yugoslavia; bombing railroad marshalling yards, oil refineries, airdrome installations, heavy industry, and other strategic objectives. The group received a Distinguished Unit Citation for a mission on 2 April 1944 when the group contributed to Fifteenth AF's campaign against enemy industry by attacking a ball-bearing plant at Steyr. Although meeting severe fighter opposition and losing several of its bombers on 26 June 1944, the group proceeded to attack an oil refinery at Moosbierbaum, receiving another DUC. The group also supported ground forces at Anzio and Cassino in March 1944 and knocked out gun positions in preparation for the invasion of Southern France in August 1944.