Crashed near Barby in B-17 'Bomber Dear' #42-97234, Killed in Action (KIA).



Bobby J Younger was a graduate of McKinney High School, Collins county, Texas. He was killed on his 13th mission at the age of 19 when his aircraft was shot down on a bombing mission over Merseburg, Germany.



His name is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Belgium.



An article published by the local paper:



“Bobby Younger, Missing One Year Reported Dead”



“Mrs M. W. Younger of this city has received official information from the War Department in Washington that her son, Bobby Joe Younger, a staff sergeant with the Army Air Forces who was reported missing in Nov. 2, 1944, is now reported dead. Sergeant Younger, a turret gunner on a B-17, was participating in a raid on the synthetic oil plant and Merseburg, Germany, when the plane was attacked by 75 enemy aircraft and was shot down in flames. Only three of the nine crew members escaped, taken prisoner by the Nazis and returned to the States recently.”



“In a letter to his brother, Lt. Col. John Frank Younger, written the day before he was reported missing, he states he was eligible for the Air Medal and one Oak Leaf Cluster. He held the European Theatre of Operations Ribbon with one or more battle stars.”



“Mrs. Younger has also been informed that Bobby Joe will be awarded the Purple Heart medal posthumously. Bobby Joe Younger was born here, graduating from Boyd High School and attending Texas A&M one semester before entering the armed forces on Dec. 2 1943. He went overseas late in July 1944.”



“Survivors include his sister [mother], Mrs M. W. Younger, two brothers, Lt. Col. John Frank Younger, who served 31 months in the Persian Gulf Command and Major M. W. Younger, who served in the European Theatre about two years, and two sisters Mrs Cynthia Younger Houchins and Miss Margaret Younger.”