Robert W Van Fleet
Military ROLL OF HONOURShot down 23-Nov-1942 in #41-24568 'Lady Fairweather' while serving as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner. Aircraft was shot down by German aircraft and crashed, in flames, into the sea near Belle-Ile en Mer, France. Killed in Action (KIA). Participated in 3 operations (1 abort) See Biography events.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
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
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Lady Fairweather
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 23 November 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 22 November 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 18 November 1942
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Mission #1 TSGT Robert W. Van Fleet, w/B-17F 41-24568, 303BG/359BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 18 November 1941 | Served as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24658 "Lady Fairweather", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Assigned to Aircraft |
Biggs Field, TX 79918, USA | 27 July 1942 | Assigned to B-17F 41-24568 "Lady Fairweather", 303BG/359BS at Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas. |
|
Other Arrived at Station |
Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 25 October 1942 | Arrived with B-17F 41-24568 "Lady Fairweather", 303BG/359BS at Molesworth UK. |
|
Other Mission #2 TSGT Robert W. Van Fleet, w/B-17F 41-24568, 303BG/359BS -Aborted |
Lorient, France | 22 November 1942 | Assigned as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24568 "Lady Fairweather", 303BG/358BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France, but the mission was aborted. No reason given in mission report. |
|
Other Killed in Action (KIA) |
Belle Île, France | 23 November 1942 | Killed when the aircraft was shot down by German aircraft and crashed into the sea near Belle-Ile en Mer, France |
|
Other Mission #3 TSGT Robert W. Van Fleet, w/B-17F 41-24568, 303BG/359BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 23 November 1942 | Served as Engineer/Top Turret Gunner on B-17F 41-24658 "Lady Fairweather", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. Aircraft was shot down into the sea. KIA. |
|
Other Commemorated |
Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Madingley Road, Coton, Cambridgeshire CB23 7PH, UK | Commemorated on the Wall of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery. |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" for clarity.
Lee Cunningham 5-Dec-2015. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Nov-42.
Lee Cunningham 5-Dec-2015. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Nov-42.
Lee Cunningham 5-Dec-2015. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, historian, Mission Reoprt of 18-Nov-42.
Lee Cunningham 5-Dec-2105. Added Arrived at Station event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Arthur E. Reddig crew page.
Lee Cunningham 5-Dec-2015. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Arthur E. Reddig crew page.
Lee Cunningham -Dec-2015. Edited crew position and made connections to all mission participation per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, historian, Arthur E. Reddig crew page.
Lee Cunningham 1-Dec-2014. Edited biography for crash location, added KI A event per MACR 15075; added Commemoration event per American Battle Monument Commission (ABMC) record.
Lee Cunningham 6-Nov-2014. Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 15075; American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC)