Robert L Stevenson
Military ROLL OF HONOUR[ 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
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
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 6 March 1943
- Date: 4 March 1943
- Date: 27 February 1943
- Date: 26 February 1943
- Date: 16 February 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Lee Cunningham 2-May-2016. Added Assigned to Unit event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, 303NG Personnel Roster: http://www.303rdbg.com/
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
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.
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