Robert A Harken
Military
"Iowans of the Mighty Eighth", Chapter 22 "Biographies", by Charles D Taylor.
Object Number - UPL 31440 - Captain Robert A. Harken, 466th Bomb Group
His later missions included hauling gasoline in support of Patton's 3rd Army and food drops over Holland. On one mission his tail gunner's oxygen system failed and the plane was shot at by both Germans and Americans before he managed to land at a base in Belgium; unfortunately too late for the gunner.
He afterwards returned to college and taught school for twenty two years.
Air Medal 5 clusters
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron 785th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron 785th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron 785th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 35575758
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-768886
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Radar (H2X) Navigator
Aircraft
Missions
Places
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Austinville, IA 50604, USA | 26 April 1921 | |
|
Enlisted |
Des Moines, IA, USA | 10 July 1942 | |
|
Other 466th BG Combat Tour |
Attlebridge, Norwich, Norfolk NR9, UK | 7 August 1944 - 28 January 1945 | 20 missions with the 785th BS 10 missions as a lead crew with the 784th BS |
|
Died |
Waterloo, IA, USA | 14 March 2006 | |
|
Enlisted |
Ackley, IA 50601, USA | 17 March 2006 | West Friesland Presbyterian Church Cemetery Grundy County Iowa, USA |
| Austinville, IA 50604, USA |
Revisions
466th BG Archives - Report on Mission No. 146, Neunkirchen, Germany - 30 Nov 1944
NARA Research provided by Brad Sullivan
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Unit roster in the book ATTLEBRIDGE ARSENAL by Wassom & Brassfield, page 346