Robert McCord Jones
Military
media-13437.jpeg
UPL 13437
43-38823 JD-H, 545th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb Group. On the 26 February 1945 mission to Berlin, the crew was reported missing on MACR 12760. Their aircraft had a run-away prop and lost oxygen at 32,000 ft, possibly due to flak. They made a wheels-up forced landing in Rawa Ruska, Poland. The crew were met by Russians (allies at that time) and taken to Lvov, Poland for two weeks until "rescued" by a U.S. Salvage crew in a stripped-down B-17, who flew them to Poltve [Poltava?], Russia. ATC returned them to Grafton Underwood via Tehran, Iran, Athens, Greece, Cairo, Eqypt, Tunisia, Naples, Italy and Brighton, England.
384thbombgroup.com
Assigned to the 384th Bomb Group, 545th Bomb Squadron on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #239 dated 5 December 1944. Ranald MacDonald Crew, 26 combat missions.
Robert passed away Feb 26, 2015 here in Charlotte, NC.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-770549
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot, Co-pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 35871344
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36856511
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-777318
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Bombardier; Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37519899
- Highest Rank: Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 26 February 1945
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Grafton Undermud
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Macon, GA, USA | 21 December 1920 | |
Other Returned (RTD) |
Poland | 26 February 1945 - 15 March 1945 | Jones' comments on one mission of special significance: 'Our 17th mission, on 26 February 1945, was to Berlin. We had a run-away prop and lost oxygen at 32,000 ft. We were forced to crash land in Rawa Ruska, Poland. We landed wheels up and were met by Russians and taken to Lvov, Poland. We were there for two weeks until rescued by a U.S. Salvage crew in a stripped-down B-17, and flew to Poltvava, Russia, an Operation Frantic base. We were returned to our base by ATC via Athens, Greece, Iran, Tehran, Tunisia, Cairo, Eqypt, Naples, Italy and to Brighton, England.' |
Died |
Charlotte, NC, USA | 26 February 2015 |
Revisions
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources
Merged with duplicate entry to include details from :
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia;
/ self/ MACR 12760;
http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/person.php?PersonKey=7937
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
MACR 12760 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database