Robert L Davis

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

media-15249.jpeg UPL 15249 Crew photo taken on 27 April 1944. Lieutenant V. A. Hansard is kneeling on the left hand side. Co-pilot Lt. Robert L. Davis is kneeling in the middle and Lt William H. Baker, Navigator, is kneeling on the right.

Back Row (viewer's left to right):
1.S/Sgt. Edward F. Briske, Ball Turret
2.S/Sgt. James R. Fowler, Tail Gunner
3.Cpl. Kenneth Hesterly, Togglier
4.T/Sgt. Robert Cantwell, Radio
5.T/Sgt. William Lake, Engineer

See http://www.398th.org/Images/Images_Crews/Text/Flight/Hansard_600_194404…

Object Number - UPL 15249 - Crew photo taken on 27 April 1944. Lieutenant V. A. Hansard is kneeling on the left hand side. Co-pilot Lt. Robert L. Davis is kneeling in the middle...

Killed in Action (KIA) at Nuthampstead while trying to land in heavy fog returning from a mission over Merseberg, Germany. Buried at the American Cemetery near Cambridge. His regular pilot was Lt. V A Hansard.

Lt. Davis had previously been shot down over Mannheim on September 9, 1944, while flying as a substitute co-pilot with Lt. James M. Johnson. That crew had crash landed in France and made their way back to Nuthampstead to resume flying.

Connections

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Units served with

398th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

600th Bomb Squadron

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

People

Vell Ardell Hansard

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 398th Bomb Group 600th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-764004
Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Role/Job: Pilot

James Melford Johnson

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 398th Bomb Group 600th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-555631
Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

42-107214

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Unit: 398th Bomb Group

Missions

723

Date: 25 November 1944

Places

Cambridge American Cemetery

Site type: Cemetery
Known as: Cambridge American Military Cemetery

Nuthampstead

Site type: Airfield

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Enlisted Entered service from	Los Angeles, CA, USA	5 November 1942	Civilian occupation listed as 'Semiskilled occupations in building of aircraft, n.e.c.' in enlistment record.
Based	Nuthampstead	24 November 1944
Died	Nuthampstead, Royston, Hertfordshire SG8, UK	25 November 1944
Buried			Plot D Row 1 Grave 52
Born	California, USA		Parents: Lee Van Davis and Ruth Davis.
	Danville, IL, USA		Father's occupation listed as 'wholesale buyer' in lumber (1930 census)
	Hartford, MI 49057, USA		Father's occupation listed as 'co-owner' of saw mill (1940 census)