Robert N McCune

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

1-May-42 Assigned as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24619 [GN-S] "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Bosie, Idaho. 12-Oct-42 Re-assigned to B-17F 41-24569 [GN-V], "Memphis Tot" 303BG/427BS at Dow Field, Bangor, Maine. 22-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "Memphis Tot"



Shot down 4 February 1943 in B-17F 41-24569 'Memphis Tot' while serving as Co-Pilot. The mission target was Osnabruck, Germany, but crew reported guns didn't work so crew turned back. Fighters attacked and Cpt Cole crash landed in the Waddenzee, Holland. Plane broke in two in contact with the water. McCune was shot and killed before the crash according to the 303rd web site mission report.



Participated in 7 Operations (4 were 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

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-421603
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

The tail of a B-17 Flying Fortress (GN-V, serial number 41-24569) nicknamed "Memphis Tot" of the 427th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, shot down near Zwolle. Handwritten caption on reverse: '124569. Memphis Tot. SD. 4/2/43. 427BS. Near Zwolle.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Memphis Tot
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Boise, ID, USA 1 May 1942 Assigned as Co-Pilot of B-17 41-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.

Other

Re-assigned to Aircraft

Bangor, ME, USA 12 October 1942 Re-assigned as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS at Dow Field, Bangor, Maine.

Other

Arrived in UK

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 22 October 1942 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as Co-Pilot aboard B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS.

Other

Mission #1, 2LT Robert N. McCune, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - Aborted

Lorient, France 22 November 1942 Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2, 2LT Robert N. McCune, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - Aborted

Lille, France 6 December 1942 Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the carriage and wagon works at Lille, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, 2LT Robert N. McCune, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS

Romilly-sur-Seine, France 20 December 1942 Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #4, 2LT Robert N. McCune, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS

Lille, France 13 January 1943 Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #5, 2LT Robert N. McCune, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - Aborted

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France, but mechanical failures force the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #6, 2LT Robert N. McCune, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - Aborted

Hamm, Germany 2 February 1943 Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany, but severe cold weather caused Wing Command to recall the formation. RTB OK.

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Waddenzee 4 February 1943 Killed when aircraft was shot down by German fighters and crash-landed in the Waddenzee, Holland. His remains have never been recovered.

Other

Mission #7, 2LT Robert N. McCune, w/B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS - KIA

Osnabrück, Germany 4 February 1943 Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the industrial areas of Osanbruck, Germany, but frozen guns forced the pilot to turn back and the aircraft was shot down by fighters over Holland and he was Killed in Action. KIA

Born

Daly City, California

Other

Commemorated

Netherlands American Cemetery, 6269 NA Migraten, Netherlands Commemorated on the Wall of the Missing, Netherlands American Cemetery.

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a connection to the pilot Lloyd R. Cole.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 22-Feb-2016. Correcting typo in Summary BIography,.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Feb-2016. Corrected typo in Summary Biography.

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Feb-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/014.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Feb-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 2-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/013.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Feb-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/013.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Nov-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/003.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Feb-2016. Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian; Lloyd R. Cole crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-cole.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Feb-2016. Added Re-Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian; Lloyd R. Cole crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-cole.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian; Lloyd R. Cole crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-cole.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 20-Feb-2016. Added initial assignment and re-assignment and arrival in UK infot to Summary Biography; Made connections to all missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian; Lloyd R. Cole crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-cole.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 28-Jan-2015. Added decorations and Commemorated event per American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) record; Verified SN an KIA event per MACR 15348; Added crew position to Biography.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15348, Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs Vol. I by Bishop and Hey p. 73, ABMC web site , 303rd web site mission report