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1LT
Robert Frederick Francis
336th
BS/95th BG(H)
O-731048
Acknowledgement: Information courtesy of
American Battlefield Monuments Association, Finn Buch and Bill Beigel
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Entered the Service
from: Washington
Died: June 13, 1943
Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Tablets of the Missing at Netherlands American Cemetery
Margraten, Netherlands
Awards: Air Medal,
Purple Heart
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Austin Scott
(BT), Ivan Clinton (WG), Wayne Rife (TT), John Reese (TG), Walter
Miller (RO), August Vacek (CP), Joseph Nunes (P), Lawrence Finch Jr. (N), Robert
Francis (B)
Photo source:
http://www.95thbg-horham.com/page117.html
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Data
received from Bill Beigel, BeigelWD@aol.com:
A
preliminary review of my records shows that 1st LT Francis, of
Blaine, WA, was serving as the bombardier aboard B-17 #2-29680, piloted by 1st
LT Joseph L. Nunes of Atlanta. The aircraft was downed in the area of Tonder,
Denmark. All aboard were killed in
action. 2-29680 was among 13 B-17s lost by the 95th BG on June 13,
1943.
To
date, this was the worst day in the operational history of the 95th.
In fact, on this raid, the first Army Air Corps General (Brigadier General N.
Forrest, of Bremerton, WA) to be killed in the War was killed when the
lead B-17 of the 95th, in which he was flying, was downed by a German
fighter.
According
to information provided by Finn Buch of Denmark, the crash site is not Tonder
but Oldenburg, which is due east of Kiel. (see map below) Finn's
information comes from a nephew of Grady Kearsey. My thanks to Finn for
the MACR and the map.
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Crew list:
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Rank
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Name
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Position
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1LT |
J.
L. Nunes
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Pilot
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FO |
A.
R. Vacek |
CP
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1LT |
Robert
Frederick Francis |
BOM
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2LT |
Lawrence
Finch, Jr. |
NAV
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T/SGT |
Wayne
E. Rife |
TTE
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T/SGT |
Walter
C. Miller, Jr. |
R/O
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S/SGT |
Robert
W. Hardy |
RW |
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S/SGT |
Grady
V. Kearsey |
TG
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S/SGT |
Ivan.
A. Clinton |
LW |
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S/SGT |
Austin
B. Scott |
BT
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MACR 2571:
Click to enlarge.
 
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Map of crash area:
Click to enlarge.
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If you can provide more information,
please Contact Us. |
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