Robert J Basnett
Military
Bombardier/Navigator
416th BG - 671st BS - 9th AF
Flew 65 combat missions
Object Number - UPL 48175 - 1LT Robert J. "The Kid" Basnett Bombardier/Navigator 416th BG - 671st BS - 9th AF Flew 65 combat missions
Son of Thomas M. Basnett and Gladys M. Salas Basnett; husband of Lanola Basnett who was affectionately known as Puz.
Immediately after he graduated from high school he volunteered for the draft and entered the Army Air Corps. As a navigator/bombardier he was assigned to the 416th Bomb Group with which he flew four missions over France in the D-Day Invasion and 65 missions over Europe during WWII.
After the war he attended the University of Missouri, receiving a BS in Animal Husbandry. and MS in Dairy Management, and a DVM. After graduation the family moved to Fulton where Dr. Basnett entered practice Dr. Pat McGinnis and later with Dr. Robert Link.
He loved Fulton, and Fulton loved him. He served on the Fulton School Board., the Callaway County Extension Board, the Callaway County Special Road District and the Humane Society Board. He was honored with the Kingdom of Callaway Settlers Award in 2005.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 671st Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Nicknames: Irish
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 669th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Nicknames: Holey Joe
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 669th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Melun, Alsace
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Webb City, MO | 18 October 1922 | |
|
Enlisted |
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas | 20 May 1941 | |
|
Other 416th BG Combat Tour |
Wethersfield Airfield, UK | 19 March 1944 - 5 March 1945 | Flew 65 combat missions Began tour at Wethersfield and moved to Melun, France in Sept 1944 and then Laon, France in February 1945 |
|
Other Wounded In Action |
near La Loupe, France | 6 July 1944 | Wounded by flak, RTD |
|
Died |
Fulton, Missouri | 6 June 2020 | |
|
Buried |
Fulton, Missouri | 9 June 2020 | Hillcrest Cemetery Fulton, Callaway County, Missouri, USA |
