Robert H Johnson
Military
785th BS - Operations Officer
Pilot - Crew #464
also served with the 801st BG 466th Bomb Group collection
466th BG Historian
Object Number - UPL 7444 - Captain Robert H. Johnson 785th BS - Operations Officer Pilot - Crew #464 also served with the 801st BG
Deployed to England with the 466th BG as the Operations Officer for the 785th BS. He then served a stint with the 801st BG "Carpetbaggers" before returning to Attlebridge and the 466th BG where he was assigned to group HQ as Plans and Training Officer. He flew several missions as a command pilot before approaching the group commander with the idea of forming his own crew. He did so by recruiting other squadron and group level officers and enlisted from the spare pool and formed a very experienced lead crew in the 784th BS, Crew #464.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- 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: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 0728297
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Bombardier - Squadron Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-664644
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Pilot/Co-Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Shamrock
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 30 December 1944
- Date: 24 December 1944
- Date: 30 November 1944
- Date: 30 August 1944
- Date: 13 April 1944
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Attlebridge Arsenal, Station 120
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other 1st Combat Mission |
Berlin, Germany | 22 March 1944 | Deputy Group Lead Pilot "It was an eventful but in some ways, routine, flight. We encountered no fighters but did meet heavy AA fire at the IP and on to Berlin. We lot two planes hit at the IP. |
|
Other Mission |
Brunswick, Germany | 8 April 1944 | "I was flying as squadron lead. We were hit at the IP by a squadron of German fighters and were under fire for more than an hour. I can still recall the planes in the preceding squadron going down, on fire, and crew bailing out. One fighter headed directly towards us, and it seemed a long time before he reached us. He wings seemed on fire as his guns opened up and I recall thinking "he's aiming directly at me, with no lead...his bullets will go behind me!" |
|
Other Combat Mission |
Lechfeld, Germany | 13 April 1944 | Deputy Command Pilot - 96th BW "Things went well for a while, but the lead plane suffered damage en route, losing much of it's oxygen system. As we started the turn at the IP, Colonel Pierce called for me to take over, as he would have to abort. He left the formation, but part of the formation missed the call and started to go with him. I flattened out our turn and managed to keep most of the planes with me., but two ended up in Switzerland (only one 466th BG a/c was interned in Switzerland on this day - 466th BG Historian). Coming off the target I was joined by the rest of the 96th Wing and we returned to England without incident. - Robert H. Johnson |
| Cheyenne, WY, USA | 221 West 9th Street | ||
| Scottsdale, AZ, USA | |||
| Rock Springs, WY 82901, USA |
Revisions
Letter from R.H. Johnson to Chris Brassfield - 16 January 2004
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Unit roster in the book ATTLEBRIDGE ARSENAL by Wassom & Brassfield, page 347
