Victor Kelly was born in 1921, the son of Thomas and Helen Kelly of Hoboken, N.J. He attended Saint Peter’s College for three years, from 1939-1942, before leaving the College to serve in World War II. After enlisting on March 12, 1942, Kelly became a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps.

Lt. Kelly was one of the airmen who volunteered to fly on the “Snuffy” aircraft for a raid on Schweinfurt on August 17, 1943. Waist Gunner Staff Sargent Alfred Meyer had this to say about the mission: “We met all sorts of hell from the ground and the air. It was a helluva fight all the way in and out. Unfortunately for us, we were hit by FLAK just as the bombardier called 'bombs away.' A direct hit in the bomb bay (luckily after the bombs were gone) and then another in the right wing knocked out one engine and started a fire. We were pushed out of formation. For one reason or another, the pilot could not get the wheels down and the Jerry fighters kept at us. Finally, over the intercom we heard 'abandon ship' and we got the idea. Charles Tage got the body of Grover out, put a chute on him and threw him out.  Robert Koenig put a chute on Kelly and threw him out. Luckily, the plane held together until the rest of us managed to get out, then it ended its combat career.” Thus, Lt. Kelly was "Killed in Action" on August 17, 1943.