Robert J Reasoner

Military

On 3 January 1943 in B-24D 41-23806 'Bat Out of Hell' while serving as Tail Gunner the aircraft crashed south-west of Haverfordwest returning from target U/B yards (submarine) at St. Nazaire, France. Fuel shortage caused the crash. Hospitalized and transferred to Talbenny.



Took part in Operation Tidal Wave, the raid on Ploesti on 1 August 1943, flying B-24 Liberator 42-40071.



On 1 October 1943 in B24D 41-23816 "Black Jack" while serving as Tail Gunner the aircraft sustained severe damage from flak in the bomb bay shortly after leaving target area on a mission to Wiener Neustadt, Austria. Aircraft peeled off while quickly losing altitude as fire developed. Broke in two and crashed in target area. Reasoner was captured and hospitalized but repatriated because of wounds.

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 44th Bomb Group.

44th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
B-24 Liberators of the 44th Bomb Group line up for takeoff at Shipdham in 1943. The 'Flying Eight-Ball' emblem of the 68th Bomb Squadron is visible on the nose of the leading aircraft. Image stamped with field press censor, 1943. Press Agency photograph- original printed caption has been removed.

68th Bomb Squadron

  • Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

41-23806

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Bat Out Of Hell
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron

41-23816

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Black Jack
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron

42-40071

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: - Margaret Ann II
  • Unit: 44th Bomb Group 68th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Dreenhill

  • Site type: Aircraft crash site
  • Known as: Haverfordwest

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Prisoner of war

1 October 1943

Born

St Petersburg, Florida, New Plymouth, Ohio

Revisions

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Ploesti Sortie Reports, 44th Bomb Group

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

wspa.com article: http://www.wspa.com/story/25898276/local-wwii-veteran-passes-away

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 5-Feb-2015. Made connections to Place, 2 Aircraft and 2 Missions within existing website data.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Losses of the 8th and 9th Air Forces Vol. 1 by Bishop and Hey pp. 61, 298; 44th BG Roll of Honor and Casualties by Lundy pp. 39, 135, The 44th BG in WWII by MacKay and Adams p.27