Robert H Harper
Military
Jim Harper 2019
Object Number - UPL 40607 - Robert H Harper of the 381st Bomb Group 1944
Pearce, Joe - Crew
Bob was a ball turret gunner on 35 combat missions in 1945 and in 2019 is an active 96 year old in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. Bob proudly served on Joe Pearce's crew and says "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Joe." They were shot down over Merseberg on November 21 but limped back on one engine to Belgium and all parachuted to safety. Their plane, the Colonel Bub, pancake-landed in one piece in a nearby field and the crew returned the next day to retrieve a few items. Bob is extremely proud to have served in the 8th Air Force and now views his service as one of the most important parts of his life.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Revisions
This information is from Jim Harper, Bob's son, who lives in northern California and can be reached at [email protected].
Bob proudly served on Joe Pearce's crew as the ball turret gunner and states "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Joe." They were shot down over Merseberg on November 21 but limped back on one engine to Belgium and all parachuted to safety. Their plane, the Colonel Bub, pancake-landed in a nearby field and the crew returned to it to retrieve important items. Bob is extremely proud to have been a part of the 8th Air Force and now views his service as one of the most significant parts of his life.
381st Bomb Group Memorial Assoiciation, March 1999 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / www.381st.org/UnitHistory/Data/Roster.aspx
