Robert Neale Roberts

Military
media-24024.jpeg UPL 24024 "Combat crew of the 91st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, beside a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. England." Capt Lester F Rentmeester & crew, 401st Bomb Sq, 91st BG with B-17G 42-102509 "The Liberty Run" (coded LL-A), Bassingbourn, May 1944. Rentmeeser's crew was never assigned to this ship for any of their missions.

Rear L-R: S/Sgt Rudy Malkin, T/Sgt Elmer A Diethorn, T/Sgt Ward E Simonson, S/Sgt Gordon A Wiggett and S/Sgt Phillip F Lunt.
Front L-R: Lt Robert N Roberts, Capt Lester F Rentmeester, Lt William W Behrend and Lt Joseph T Ashby.

NARA Ref 342-FH-3A10685-A62785AC.

Object Number - UPL 24024 - "Combat crew of the 91st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, beside a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. England." Capt Lester F Rentmeester & crew, 401st Bomb Sq,...

Bob Roberts completed two tours of duty as a Navigator with the 91st Bomb Group in the European Theatre.



On a mission during Big Week on 22 February 1944, Roberts' aircraft B-17 42-39771 nicknamed Jeanie Marie, drifted off course and came under fire from flak. The crew temporarily lost control of the aircraft, but succeeded in stabilising the ship, before it came under more fire from enemy fighters. Further fire caused damaged to one of the engines and splintered the plexiglass nose. Plexiglass fragments severed the power supply to one side of Roberts' heated flight suit, meaning he needed to wear a US Army blanket for the remainder of the mission to keep warm. the damage to the aircraft caused Roberts and his crew to crash land on their return to England, where they were picked up and returned to Bassingbourn.



Upon Roberts' death in 2002, Lester Rentmeester, his pilot, gifted Roberts' painted A-2 flying jacket to IWM.



Awards: AM (10 OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.

Connections

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Units served with

Unofficial emblem of the 91st Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16056182 / O-742603
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Jeannie Marie
  • Unit: 91st Bomb Group 401st Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

17 February 1918

Other

Discharged

1 January 1946

Died

23 July 2002

Enlisted

Based

Bassingbourn First tour of duty

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources
Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Story by Lester Rentmeester in 91st Bomb Group Newsletter, April 2017

IWM Object file for UNI 13860, Roberts' jacket

Robert Neale Roberts: Gallery (2 items)