Robert W McElree

Military
media-32486.jpeg UPL 32486 Staff Sergeant Robert W. McElree 351st Bomb Group. Charles D Taylor collection

"Iowans of the Mighty Eighth", Chapter 26 "Biographies", by Charles D Taylor.

Object Number - UPL 32486 - Staff Sergeant Robert W. McElree 351st Bomb Group.

Drafted in October 1942 Robert wanted to be a gunner but - at 6ft 2" - was over the height limit. So he slouched down when they measured him and he got away with it. He went overseas in October 1943 and flew on 26 combat missions from Polebrook during which his airplane had a number of close calls but no fatalities. He returned to the States in April 1944 then volunteered for a second tour and that June returned to the ETO aboard the 'Queen Mary'. He was attending B-29 Flight Engineering School when the war ended.



Air Medal 4 clusters

Connections

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

Units served with

The insignia of the 351st Bomb Group.

351st Bomb Group

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

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description
Oelwein, IA 50662, USA

Revisions

Date
ContributorHelen
Changes
Sources

Iowans of the Mighty Eighth

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / www.351st.org/ken.harbour/

Robert W McElree: Gallery (2 items)

Object number: UPL 32485 - Staff Sergeant Robert W. McElree and crew at 351st...

Object number: UPL 32486 - Staff Sergeant Robert W. McElree 351st Bomb Group.