Robert Elmer Nelson

Military

Co-pilot, Painter crew. Group Operations officer flying as the Deputy Group lead. 381st BG, 532nd BS. Shot down 17 August 1943 in B-17 #42-30140 'King Malfunction II'. Mission #20 "Black Tuesday" to the ball bearing works at Schweinfurt, Germany. MACR 379. Evaded (EVD).

Gresham, OR.



EE Report 170. After 1Lt Nelson landed, he met up with S/Sgt Genz (RWG). They encountered S/Sgt Whitman in a tree who fell and broke some ribs while attempting to get out of his harness. They were soon joined by S/Sgt Kellogg who was wounded in the leg inside the aircraft. S/Sgts Whitman and Kellogg were both too injured to move on. They all agreed that the two injured Sgts were going to give themselves up the next day. 1Lt Nelson and S/Sgt Genz evaded with assistance from the underground. Through Madrid and Gibraltar they eventually made it back to England on 30 October 1943.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 381st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 34129005
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Radio Operator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-734658
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37268430
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: waist gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-736866
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37198577
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: King Malfunction II
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron

Missions

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Gresham, Oregon 8 April 1917

Died

1 February 1994

Other

Evaded (EVD)

Germany 17 August 1943

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Removed the "Possible DUPLICATE" flag in the Nickname field and then removed the duplicate person.

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Updated the location of the EVD event to “Germany” per info in the "Summary biography".

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added an Evaded event per info in the "Summary biography".

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Flagged as a "Possible DUPLICATE" in the Nickname field so an Admin can check out this person.

Date
ContributorARowe95
Changes
Sources

ARowe95

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

381st Bomb Group Memorial Association, March 1999; MACR 379 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia