Robert L Stevenson

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-20592.png UPL 20592 Official USAAF photo B-61068 AC – Original caption : “Lt. Kyse and crew of the 358th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, beside the Boeing Flying Fortress “Sky Wolf”. England, 11 November 1943.”

[ Back row, from left ro right : 1st Lt Walter R. Kyse; 2nd Lt William C. DaShiell; 2nd Lt Hilton C. Mabie; 2nd Lt Thomas H. Sutherland; 2nd Lt Don J. De Laura / Front row, left to right : Sgt Arthur H. Robinson Jr; S/Sgt Bernard J. Radebaugh; ] S/Sgt Robert L. Stevenson; Sgt Clifford M. McKinney, Sgt Robert J. Owen; Sgt George J. Morrison. ]

Removed associations not depicted in photo

Object Number - UPL 20592 - Official USAAF photo B-61068 AC – Original caption : “Lt. Kyse and crew of the 358th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, beside the Boeing Flying...

1-Jul-42 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner with the 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico. 303BG records do not indicate that he was permanently assigned to an aircraft on that date. Neither do the 303BG records indicate when he arrived at Molesworth, UK nor by what aircraft or other means he arrived there.



23-Jan-43 First mission as Left Waist Gunner with B-17F 41-24602 "Yardbird", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. He Returned to Base (RTB) OK.



6-Mar-43 Shot down in B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS while serving as Left Waist Gunner. The aircraft crashed into Bay of Biscay off of Penmarch Point, France after a FW-190 attack that knocked out engines 1 & 2. Co-Pilot, 2LT Claire A. Tyler and SGT Stevenson were killed instantly in the attack. The other 8 crew survived in leaky rafts for 12 hours before a German boad hauled them aboard to become Prisoner of War (POW)s.



Participated in 7 Operations (1 was aborted) See Biography events.



Air Medal, Purple Heart

Connections

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

Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Yardbird II
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
The control tower at Thurleigh air base. A B-17 Flying Fortress (WW-G, serial number 42-5729 later nicknamed "Buccaneer") of the 306th Bomb Group is visible in the background. Image via Mike Bowyer A veteran has written on the reverse: 'From Mike Bowyer 3/72 from collection of wing/Co. 76 sqd. Halifax at Home. RAF station WWII.' Handwritten caption on reverse: 'WW:G 25729, GY:X.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Assigned to Unit

Alamogordo, NM 88310, USA 1 July 1942 Assigned as an Aerial Gunner with the 303Bg/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico.

Other

Mission #1, SGT Robert L. Stevenson, w/B-17F 41-24602, 303BG/360BS

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 41-24602 "Yardbird", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. He Returned to Base (RTB) OK.

Other

Mission #2, SGT Robert L. Stevenson, w/B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS - Aborted

Hamm, Germany 14 February 1943 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany. Severe cold and weather force Wign Command to recall the entire 303BG formation. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, SGT Robert L. Stevenson, w/B-17F 42-5260, 303BG/360BS

Saint-Nazaire, France 16 February 1943 Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 42-5260 "Yardbird II", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #4, SGT Robert L. Stevenson, w/B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS

Wilhelmshaven, Germany 26 February 1943 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the naval facilities and U-Boat pens at Wilhelmshaven, Germany. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #4, SGT Robert L. Stevenson, w/B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS

Brest, France 27 February 1943 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 42-5723, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the port area and U-Boat pens at Brest, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #6, SGT Robert L. Stevenson, w/B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS

Rotterdam, Netherlands 4 March 1943 Served as Right Waist Gunner on B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rotterdam, Holland. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #7, SGT Robert L. Stevenson, w/B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS

Lorient, France 6 March 1943 Served as Left Waist Gunner on B-17F 42-5262, 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. The aircraft was attacked by German fighters and crashed. He was killed in the attack. KIA

Born

Navarro County, Texas

Other

Commemorated

Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Madingley Road, Coton, Cambridgeshire CB23 7PH, UK Commemorted on the Wall of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery.

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Dezert Point - L' école de surf de Pors Carn - La Torche, 171 Rue du Musée de la Préhistoire, 29760 Penmarch, France 6 March 1943 Killed when aircraft was attacked by German fighters and crashed into the sea off of Penmarch Point, France. His remains have never been recovered.

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-May-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/20.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-May-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/019.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-May-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 27-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/018.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-May-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 26-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/017.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-May-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 16-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/016.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-May-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 14-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/015.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-May-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-May-2016. Added Assigned to Unit event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, 303NG Personnel Roster: http://www.303rdbg.com/

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 2-May-2016. Added initial assignment, first mission and participations statement to Summary Biography; Mde connections to Aircraft and Missions pere 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Martin E. Ploucher crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/360plocher.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 3-Jul-45. Added Decorations and Commemorated event per AMerican Battle Monument Commission (ABMC) records; made connection to Place and Mission wiithin existing website data; Added KIA event per MACR 15536.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15536 / MACR 15536, Losses of the 8th & 9th AFs Vol. 1, pp. 88-89 by Bishop & Hey . 303rd web site mission report. / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Robert L Stevenson: Gallery (1 items)