Robert W Harrington

Military

Object Number - UPL 16726 - 2LT Robert W. Harrington Pilot - Crew #747 466th BG - 787th BS Shot Down 15 August 1944 Successfully evaded

Bob Harrington piloted the B-24 "Troublemaker" (#42-95067), stationed at Attlebridge in the summer of 1944. After nine missions with Troublemaker, on August 15, 1944 he was called up to fly an unfamiliar aircraft, Ramblin' Wreck (#41-28932), with a crew he did not know. They successfully bombed a Luftwaffe airbase at Vechta, but on the way home were shot down by Me-109 fighters and crashed at Gelderingen, Netherlands. Most of the crew managed to bail out and were captured as POWs; he and Bob Borst successfully evaded. Harrington was sheltered by various Dutch families in Steenwyck until the town was liberated in April 1945. He returned to the US, married Betty Elscott, became a building engineering consultant, and lived a long life in San Francisco, California, passing away in October 2009 at age 89.

Connections

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

Units served with

Three little girls hold up a balloon celebrating the 100th mission of the 466th Bomb Group in front of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95592) nicknamed "Black Cat". Handwritten caption on reverse: 'On our 100 Mission party Day- 18 Aug 1944, Attlebridge, 466th- wouldn't it be something if we could identify these girls? How could I do it?'

466th Bomb Group

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

People

Robert G Borst

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-716705
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier

Fred E Davis

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37540431
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade)
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Lloyd L Ennis

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Frank B Grimes

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 32209729
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (Technician Third Grade)
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner

Roy G Johnson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12131112
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Flight Engineer

Aircraft

41-28932

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Ramblin Wreck
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron

42-94807

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Carioca-Bev
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
The nose art of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95067) nicknamed "Trouble Maker" of the 466th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '466 BG, Trouble Maker, 42-95067 D 27, 110 Msns. 787th A936E.'

42-95067

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Troublemaker
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron

42-95511

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Lady Too
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron

42-95592

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Black Cat
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron

Missions

741

  • Date: 6 December 1944

731

  • Date: 30 November 1944

725

  • Date: 26 November 1944

676

  • Date: 14 October 1944

Places

Aerial photograph of Attlebridge airfield, looking north, the fuel store and a T2 hangar are in the upper centre, 31 January 1946. Photograph taken by No. 90 Squadron, sortie number RAF/3G/TUD/UK/51. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

Attlebridge

  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Attlebridge Arsenal, Station 120

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Newton, IA 50208, USA 17 November 1920

Enlisted

Des Moines, IA, USA 6 July 1942

Other

Evaded

Steenwijk, Netherlands 15 August 1944 - 17 April 1945

Died

San Francisco, CA, USA 9 October 2009

Other

Shot Down

Gelderingen, Steenwijkerwold, Netherlands 15 August 1944

Revisions

Date5 Jul 2020 23:02:34
Contributorjmoore43
Sources

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

Date22 May 2020 23:20:11
Contributor466thHistorian
Sources

466th BG Archives - Report on Mission No 155, Gerolstein, Germany - 24 December 1944
NARA Research provided by Brad Sullivan

Date20 May 2020 23:12:39
Contributor466thHistorian
Sources

Report on Mission 150 - Bielefeld, Germany - 6 March 1944
466th BG Archives

Date23 Apr 2020 21:31:07
Contributor466thHistorian
Sources

466th BG Archives - Report on Mission No. 146, Neunkirchen, Germany - 30 Nov 1944
NARA Research provided by Brad Sullivan

Date23 Apr 2020 01:44:46
Contributor466thHistorian
Sources

466th BG - Report on Mission No 144, RR Viaduct, Bielefeld, Germany, 26 Nov 1944
NARA Research by Brad Sullivan

Date6 Apr 2020 03:54:10
Contributor466thHistorian
Sources

466BG Archives - Mission Report for 14 October 1944
NARA document research by Brad Sullivan

Date23 May 2017 11:13:29
ContributorClark B
Sources

C Beyer

Date21 May 2017 05:36:33
ContributorClark B
Sources

Clark Beyer

Date20 May 2017 14:45:03
ContributorClark B
Sources

Clark Beyer

Date13 May 2017 09:07:04
ContributorClark B
Sources

C Beyer (nephew)

Date13 May 2017 09:02:23
ContributorClark B
Sources

C Beyer

Date13 May 2017 08:57:41
ContributorClark B
Sources

C Beyer

Date13 May 2017 05:35:58
ContributorClark B
Sources

as told to C Beyer by R Harrington (uncle)

Date6 Oct 2015 00:09:16
Contributor466thHistorian
Sources

466th BG Historian

Date12 Jul 2015 02:05:40
Contributor466thHistorian
Sources

466th BG Historian

Date27 Sep 2014 18:24:16
ContributorAAM
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 8430 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / self, 8th AF News, September 1999, MACR 8430, nephew Oct. 2010

Robert W Harrington: Gallery (10 items)

Object number: UPL 28096 - Bob Harrington discusses the crew of his B-24...

Object number: UPL 28097 - Bob Harrington describes his final mission, August...

Object number: UPL 28110 - Bob Harrington describes his aircraft and flying...

Object number: UPL 28111 - Bob Harrington describes the attack on his...

Object number: UPL 28112 - Bob Harrington describes bailing out of his...

The nose art of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95067) nicknamed "Trouble Maker" of the 466th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '466 BG, Trouble Maker, 42-95067 D 27, 110 Msns. 787th A936E.'

Object number: FRE 1942 - The nose art of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42...

Object number: UPL 16726 - 2LT Robert W. Harrington Pilot - Crew #747 466th...

Object number: UPL 17863 - Crew #739 Robert W. Harrington/R.C. Greenwood Crew...

Object number: UPL 42773 - MACR 8430 41-28932 "Ramblin' Wreck" 466th BG |...

Object number: UPL 6600 - B-24H-15-DT #41-28932 Ramblin' Wreck Code: 6L-E...