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Robert F Atkins

Military

  • Robert F. Atkins, Tail Gunner crew of the Gypsy Queen1944-45

    Robert F. Atkins, Tail Gunner crew of the Gypsy Queen1944-45

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  • Gypsy Queen crew - taken on October 3, 1944 after their 5th mission (whiskey run), which was to Neustad, Germany Back Row - Clarence Mayronne, New Orleans, LA , Top Turret; George Walker, Philadelphia, PA , Waist Gunner; Maxey Spencer, Kinmundy, IL, Engineer; David Mitchnick, Detroit - MI , Radio; Robert Atkins, Fairlee, VT , Tail Gunner; Joseph Grunas, Detroit, MI , Nose Gunner. Front Row: Allen Bryson, Salt Lake City, UT, Pilot; Edward Watson, Portland, OR , Co-Pilot; Albert Gehrt, Topeka, KS, Bombardier; and Sol Greenberg, Bronx, NY , Navigator — at USAAF Air Station 144 -- 2 miles south east of Attleborough, Norfolk, England.

    Gypsy Queen crew - taken on October 3, 1944 after their 5th mission (whiskey run), which was to Neustad, Germany Back Row - Clarence Mayronne, New Orleans, LA , Top Turret; George Walker, Philadelphia, PA , Waist Gunner; Maxey Spencer, Kinmundy, IL, Engineer; David Mitchnick, Detroit - MI , Radio; Robert Atkins, Fairlee, VT , Tail Gunner; Joseph Grunas, Detroit, MI , Nose Gunner. Front Row: Allen Bryson, Salt Lake City, UT, Pilot; Edward Watson, Portland, OR , Co-Pilot; Albert Gehrt, Topeka, KS, Bombardier; and Sol Greenberg, Bronx, NY , Navigator — at USAAF Air Station 144 -- 2 miles south east of Attleborough, Norfolk, England.

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Robert Atkins served as a tail gunner with the 733rd Bomb Squadron of the 453rd Bomb Group, flying missions out of Old Buckenham, England.

Service

People

  • Allan Bryson

    Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 453rd Bomb Group

  • Albert Gehrt

    Military | Lieutenant | Bombardier | 453rd Bomb Group

  • Solomon Greenberg

    Military | Lieutenant | Navigator | 453rd Bomb Group

  • Joseph Grunas

    Military | Sergeant | Nose Gunner | 453rd Bomb Group

  • Clarence Mayronne

    Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 453rd Bomb Group

  • David Mitchnick

    Military | Sergeant | Radio Operator | 453rd Bomb Group

  • Maxey Spencer

    Military | Technical Sergeant | Flight Engineer | 453rd Bomb Group
    Maxey Spencer, of Kinmundy, Illinois, enlisted in the Army Air Corps on October 1, 1941, reporting to Camp Grant, near Rockford, Illinois. He was sent to Old Buckenham Air Base in England, flying 35 missions in B-24 Liberators from September 1944...

  • George Walker

    Military | Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 453rd Bomb Group

  • Edward Watson

    Military | Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 453rd Bomb Group

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Units served with

  • 453rd Bomb Group

    453rd Bomb Group

    Group
    As well as strategic bombardment missions, the 453rd Bomb Group also ferried cargo on two occasions. They hauled petrol, blankets, and rations to France in September 1944 and dropped ammunition, food and medical supplies near Wesel during the airborne...

  • 733rd Bomb Squadron

    733rd Bomb Squadron

    Squadron

Aircraft

  • 42-109896 Gypsy Queen

    B-24 Liberator
    Ex-392nd Bomb Group - first trace with 453rd BG: 14 October 1944. Transferred to 44th BG after 11 April 1945 but flew no missions with that Group.

Missions

  • 647

    25 September 1944

  • 8th Air Force 650

    27 September 1944
    This mission is conducted by three elements against industrial targets, an oil refinery and an aircraft factory in Germany. A total of 1,192 heavy bombers are dispatched from 1st, 2nd and 3rd Bomb Divisions: ...

  • 652

    28 September 1944

  • 659

    2 October 1944

  • 662

    3 October 1944

  • 665

    5 October 1944

  • 669

    7 October 1944

  • 674

    12 October 1944
    Black Week

  • 677

    14 October 1944
    Black Week

  • 681

    17 October 1944

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Associated Place

  • Old Buckenham

    Military site : airfield
    Allocated to the Eighth Air Force as a bomber base in 1942, Old Buckenham was built during 1942-43 with three concrete runways, 50 loop hardstandings and two dispersed T2 hangars. The station was the exclusive home for the 453rd Bomb Group, equipped...

Events

Event Location Date
Nationality
American
Nickname
Bob
Service numbers
11085503
Highest rank
Staff Sergeant
Role/job
Tail Gunner
Awards
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
27 June 2017 13:36:46 Tara Changes to person associations
Sources

daughter
Date Contributor Update
19 March 2017 18:30:06 Tara Changes to media associations
Sources

daughter
Date Contributor Update
19 March 2017 18:29:10 Tara Changes to person associations
Sources

daughter
Date Contributor Update
19 March 2017 18:27:24 Tara Changes to media associations
Sources

daughter
Date Contributor Update
19 March 2017 18:25:55 Tara Changes to media associations
Sources

daughter
Date Contributor Update
19 March 2017 18:13:13 Tara Changes to media associations
Sources

History of "Gypsy Queen" - credit Bob Collis

42-109896 Gypsy Queen
B-24J-115-CO 42-109896
Arrived in the UK 6 March 1944
Originally assigned 392 BG Wendling
Assigned to 733 BS 453 BG date unknown
Nose art/name was "Gypsy Queen" (note sp)and code-letters applied were F8-N+
This B-24 reportedly flew over 100 missions, but I suspect these were accrued with both the 392nd and 453rd Groups.
Assigned to 44 BG at Shipdham May 1945. No missions were flown with this Group.
Reported RZI (Returned to Zone of the Interior, i.e. the USA) 31 May 1945
With thanks to the 453rd Bomb Group (H) Memorial Association
Date Contributor Update
19 March 2017 17:14:10 Tara Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

archive
Date Contributor Update
19 March 2017 16:56:24 Tara Changes to nickname
Sources

daughter
Date Contributor Update
19 March 2017 16:55:22 Tara Changes to mission associations
Sources

log
Date Contributor Update
19 March 2017 16:51:53 Tara Changes to mission associations
Sources

log
Date Contributor Update
19 March 2017 16:47:53 Tara Changes to mission associations
Sources

log
Date Contributor Update
19 March 2017 16:45:22 Tara Changes to mission associations
Sources

Log
Date Contributor Update
19 March 2017 16:36:32 Tara Changes to mission associations
Sources

Log
Date Contributor Update
19 March 2017 16:29:14 Tara Changes to mission associations
Sources

log
Date Contributor Update
19 March 2017 16:21:25 Tara Changes to mission associations
Sources

log
Date Contributor Update
19 March 2017 15:04:03 Tara Changes to aircraft associations
Sources

AAM
Date Contributor Update
19 March 2017 15:03:25 Tara Changes to place associations
Sources

daughter
Date Contributor Update
19 March 2017 15:02:38 Tara Changes to service number
Sources

daughter
Date Contributor Update
05 February 2017 00:10:26 Tara Changes to person associations
Sources

Daughter
Date Contributor Update
05 February 2017 00:03:01 Tara Changes to highest rank
Sources

daughter
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:23:24 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / The Liberator Men of Old Buc

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