Robert Orval Davis

Military

Robert Davis was Navigator on B-17 “Sac Hound” 42-31467 when it was shot down by German Me109 fighters over Belgium on the 2 March 1944 mission to Frankfurt, Germany. MACR 2742. He managed to evade capture, helped by Belgian citizens and members of the Resistance. Sheltered in many places in Belgium, he was liberated by American troops at the beginning of September 1944, while hidden in Châtelineau, near Charleroi, Belgium. Escape & Evasion Report E&E 2116. See the story of his evasion at http://www.evasioncomete.be/fdavisro.html .

Connections

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Units served with

401st Bomb Group

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

613th Bomb Squadron

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

People

Douglas Martin Conway

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 17072159 at enlistment, then O-685775
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Bombardier

Seymour Falk

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 17037059
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: waist gunner

Hazard Justice

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 15340143
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Roger Thomas Leking

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 35348050
Highest Rank: Sergeant
Role/Job: Waist Gunner

John William O'Mara

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 15063833
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Aircraft

42-31467

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Nicknames: Sac Hound
Unit: 401st Bomb Group 613th Bomb Squadron

Missions

8th Air Force 244

Date: 2 March 1944

Places

Bomber crews from the 401st Bomb Group look over P-51 Mustang, FT-T, serial number 43-12172, of the 353rd Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, at Deenethorpe airfield. One of their B-17 Flying Fortresses is in the background. Printed caption on reverse of print: '...401st Bomb Group look over a North American P-51 Mustang at an 8th Air Force base in England, 27 December 1943.'

Deenethorpe

Site type: Airfield
Known as: Benefield

Events

Event	Date	Description
Born	13 August 1920	McKeesport, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States
Enlisted	12 May 1942	Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Other Bailed out	2 March 1944	of B-17 42-31467 “Sac Hound” over Belgium
Other Landed in parachute	2 March 1944	in Falaën-Saint-Gérard, near Mettet, Belgium
Other Evaded capture	2 March 1944 - 10 September 1944	helped by Belgian citizens and members of the Resistance
Died	2 May 2001	Apex, Wake County, North Carolina, United States
		Scottdale, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States

Revisions

Date7 May 2022 07:16:43

ContributorED-BB

Changes

Sources

Updated link to the page at www.evasioncomete.be

Date19 Dec 2019 13:20:59

ContributorED-BB

Changes

Sources

MACR 2742
NARA WWII Enlistment records
Escape & Evasion Report E&E 2116
Research for his page at www.evasioncomete.org

Date27 Sep 2014 18:23:57

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 2742 / MACR 2742, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces, http://www.401bg.org/Main/History/Members/Details.aspx?ID=1212 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database