Robert Henry Doolan
MilitaryBob enlisted in pilot school after graduating in 1935, but after Pearl Harbor he re-enlisted, becoming a navigator.
On 12 August 1943, Bob's aircraft was shot down, and his crew were forced to land in the Netherlands. They successfully evaded capture for a short while, but were eventually found by German forces. Bob was arrested in Rotterdam and imprisoned in Stalag Luft III.
Bob was forced marched to Mooseberg towards the end of the war, and eventually liberated by Gen Pattons US Army. He returned to the US in 1945, and on his return to Ohio married his sweetheart Dolores Santee.
Bob celebrated his 102nd Birthday in 3/21/019.
7 missions in YB-40. Flew 7 more missions in B-17. Shot down Gelsenkirchen-Bochem 12 August 1943 in B-17 #42-29884. Ran with co/pilot Donald E. Weir and they evaded capture with the Dutch underground until captured by Gestapo in civilian clothes 2 September 1943 going house to house. Luftwaffe officer yanked them from Gestapo and had them sent to Prisoner of War (POW) camp Stalag Luft III then to Stalag 7A Moosberg as the Russians closed in on Luft lll. Bob even made contact after the War with the family of one of the German fighter pilots that escorted their B-17 to its belly landing in a Dutch field.
AM/ PH/ POW
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 326th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16034390 / O-442687
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 326th Bomb Squadron 325th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Cincinnati, Ohio | 21 March 1917 | |
Enlisted |
Revisions
Corrected a typo in the "Summary biography" - "Harbor" was misspelled.
Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
From the Horses mouth. Bob is still sharp and writes about it to this day.
I saw Bob speaking at the Veterans Q&A at the Mighty 8th Air Force Reunion, Dayton Ohio, 2018
Further information from: < a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/story/life/2017/03/30/wwii-pow-turns-100-yea…"> WWII POW turns 100 years old
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self