Robert E Vickers Jr

Military
media-16300.jpeg UPL 16300 Robert E. Vickers Jr. Robert E. Vickers Jr.

Mark Vickers = Son

Object Number - UPL 16300 - Robert E. Vickers Jr.

Entered service at Fort Wayne, in 17 November 1942. Joined 392nd BG November 1944. Rank at end of WW II was 2nd Lt. Rank at retirement from service was Colonel on 1 May 1975. Served in WWII; Korean: Vietnam: Cold War (SAC).



'For extraordinary achievement, while pilot of a B-24 on a bombing mission to Germany 16 Jan 1945, Lt Vickers developed mechanical difficulties and he aggressively continued on to bomb his assigned target. His aircraft was severely damaged by Flak. He successfully maneuvered his crippled aircraft back.'

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from the Mighty Eighth Museum

Today our flag flies at half staff in honor of the passing of 8th AF veteran and museum friend

Retired Colonel Robert “Bob” Vickers.



Bob Vickers joined the Army Air Force as an aviation cadet at Fort Wayne, Indiana on November 17, 1942. He was assigned to the 392nd Bombardment Group in the Second Air Division of the 8th AF in November 1944. He piloted a B-24 named “The Niagara Special.” The plane was shot down on January 16, 1945 on a mission to Ruhland, Germany located just outside of Dresden. Due to an obscured target, they bombed the secondary target of Werminghoff instead. Bob held the plane in the air until they were over the Moselle River in France. The crew bailed out safely and no one was injured. The area was recently freed by General Patton’s US Third army and the area farmers were delighted to see they were Americans. Bob completed 30 missions and left WWII the rank of 2nd LT, served in Korea, Vietnam and the Cold War with SAC and retired a Colonel in May 1975.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 392nd Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 578th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 578th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 578th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Corporal
  • Role/Job: Engineer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 578th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant (RAF)
  • Role/Job: Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 578th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Dugan
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 578th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Adams Mills, Ohio 20 February 1924

Died

New Mexico, USA 28 January 2010

Buried

Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, New Mexico, USA Santa Fe National Cemetery

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added associations to crew members per info on Find-a-grave Memorial ID 47708053.
SOURCE: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/47708053/robert-e-vickers

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added associations to crew members per info on Find-a-grave Memorial ID 47708053.
SOURCE: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/47708053/robert-e-vickers

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a nickname per info in the "Summary biography".

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added Died and Buried events per Find-a-grave Memorial ID 47708053.
SOURCE: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/47708053/robert-e-vickers

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added some punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid readability.

Date
ContributorKD4ITI
Changes
Sources

Dave Wentzel
CAM

Date
ContributorMark Vickers
Changes
Sources

Mark Vickers = Son

Date
ContributorMark Vickers
Changes
Sources

Mark Vickers = Son

Date
ContributorMark Vickers
Changes
Sources

Mark Vickers = Son

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self

Robert E Vickers: Gallery (4 items)