Robert Fred Banta

Military

Object Number - UPL 32222 - T/Sgt R F Banta of the 390th Bomb Group, wearing the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal, 5-Jan-44 England.

Assigned to 568BS, 390BG, 8AF USAAF. Flew on a total 25 x missions. On 24-Aug-43 B-17 42-30308 'Hot Rocks' ditched in Channel. Mechanical failure. Returned to base.

Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), GC, WWII Victory, EAME (1 x battle star), American campaign.

Connections

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

Units served with

The insignia of the 390th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Hot Rocks
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron 570th Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Green Bay, WI 12 April 1920 Son of John C Banta.

Enlisted

Wisconsin 15 October 1940 Wisconsin

Other

Returned (RTD)

English Channel 24 August 1943 On 24-Aug-43 B-17 42-30308 'Hot Rocks' ditched in Channel. Mechanical failure. Returned to base.

Other

Discharged USAAF

18 September 1945 Honourable discharge.

Died

Dodgeville, WI 21 May 2003

Buried

Suamico Public Cemetery Suamico, Brown County, WI 24 May 2003 Suamico Public Cemetery Suamico, Brown County, Wisconsin

Based

Framlingham Assigned to 568BS, 390BG, 8AF USAAF.

Revisions

Date28 Nov 2021 16:44:16
ContributorAl_Skiff
ChangesChanges to nickname, biography and events
Date28 Nov 2021 10:46:45
ContributorHelen
ChangesChanges to biography
Sources

390thBG journal March 1987

Date5 Apr 2021 10:18:51
ContributorAl_Skiff
ChangesChanges to biography and events
Date4 Apr 2021 20:21:51
Contributordecwriter
ChangesChanges to highest rank and awards
Sources

NARA files verified rank and he's wearing the GCM in the photo. He earned at least one bronze star device on the EAME Campaign Medal.

Date5 Apr 2020 02:15:15
Contributorjmoore43
ChangesChanges to biography
Sources

Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date18 Mar 2018 12:05:23
ContributorAl_Skiff
ChangesChanges to role, biography, awards, events, unit associations and place associations
Sources

Key Image ID.

Date27 Sep 2014 18:23:24
ContributorAAM
ChangesAAM ingest
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 393 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Robert Fred Banta: Gallery (3 items)