Robert J Swindle

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-49639.jpeg UPL 49639 1Lt Ehle H. Reber (P), 2Lt Jarold J. Byrom (N), 2Lt Robert J. Swindle (B), 2Lt Allan D. Mitchell (CP). This was the cover photograph on the New York Times Magazine, January 10, 1943 issue.

http://www.303rdbg.com/news/2012-02-19.html (The Molesworth Pilot; 303rd Bomb Group Newsletter)

Object Number - UPL 49639 - 1Lt Ehle H. Reber (P), 2Lt Jarold J. Byrom (N), 2Lt Robert J. Swindle (B), 2Lt Allan D. Mitchell (CP). This was the cover photograph on the New York...

1-May-1942 Assigned as Navigator of B-17F 41-24619 [GN-S] "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho. 25-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "S-for-Sugar". Apparently he and the crew were re-assigned to B-17F 41-24607 [GN-W] "Jerry JinX", 303BG/427BS, no explanation was found in the records of 303BG on their website.



Shot down 23 January 1943 in B-17F 41-24607 'Jerry Jinx' while serving as Bombardier. Aircraft sustained damage from flak over the target at Lorient, France and crashed into the Bay of Biscay. Killed in Action (KIA). Crew position verified by crew records of the 303rd Bomb Group website, Gary Moncur, historian.



NOTE: Some data is COMBINED from an entry from Paul Andrews, Project Bits N' Pieces.



Participated in 6 Operations (1 was aborted) See Biography events.

Connections

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

Units served with

Official emblem of the 303rd Bomb Group approved 7 November 1942.

303rd Bomb Group

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

Aircraft

Ground crewmen of the 303rd Bomb Group work on the engines of a B-17 Flying Fortress nicknamed "Jerry Jinx". Handwritten caption on reverse: '303BG'.

41-24607

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Jerry Jinx : What's Up Doc
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
Captain Albert W. Dieffenback, a bombardier of the 303rd Bomb Group, admires Bugs Bunny painted onto the nose of his B-17 Flying Fortress. Passed as censored 9 May 1943. Printed caption on reverse: '14. Captain Albert W. Dieffenbach, of Garrett Park, Md., and the bomber in which he flies as group bombardier.' On reverse: US Army Press Censor ETO [Stamp].

41-24619

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: S For Sugar
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Assigned to Aircraft

Boise, ID, USA 1 May 1942 Assigned as Bombardier of B-17 41-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho.

Other

Arrived in UK

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 25 October 1942 Arrived at Molesworth, UK as Bombardier aboard B-17F 41-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS.

Other

Re-assigned to Aircraft

Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK 21 November 1942 Re-assigned with crew to B-17F 41-24607 "Jerry JinX", 303BG/427BS. Reason not found in available 303BG records.

Other

Mission #1, 2LT Robert J. Swindle, w/B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS

Lorient, France 22 November 1942 Served as Bombarider of B-17F 41-24607 "Jerry JinX", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #2, 2LT Robert J. Swindle, w/B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS

Lille, France 6 December 1942 Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24607 "Jerry JinX", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the carriage and wagon works at Lille, France. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #3, 2LT Robert J. Swindle, w/B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS

Rouen, France 12 December 1942 Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24607 "Jerry JinX", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rouen, France. RTB OK

Other

Mission #4, 2LT Robert J. Swindle, w/B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS

Romilly-sur-Seine, France 20 December 1942 Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France, but mechanical failures forced the pilot to abort the sortie. RTB OK.

Other

Mission #5, 2LT Robert J. Swindle, w/B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS

Lille, France 13 January 1943 Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24607 "Jerry JinX", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the Lille Fives Locomotive Works at Lille, France. RTB OK.

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 Killed when aircraft sustained damage from flak over the target and crashed into the sea. Hia remains have never been recovered.

Other

Mission #6, 2LT Robert J. Swindle, w/B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/427BS - KIA

Lorient, France 23 January 1943 Served as Bombardier of B-17F 41-24607 "Jerry JinX", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. Aircraft was shot down by enemy aircraft and crashed into the Bay of Biscay, France and he was killed. KIA

Revisions

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 7-Feb-2016 Made corrections to aircraft in Mission 5 event

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 7-Feb-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/011.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 7-Feb-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 13-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/010.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 7-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 7-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 12-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 7-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 7-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/003.pdf

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 7-Feb-2016. Added Re-aassigned to aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, http://www.303rdbg.com/

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 7-Feb-2016. Added Arrival in UK event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Ehle H. Reber crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-reber.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 7-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Ehle H. Reber crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-reber.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 7-Feb-2016. Added initial assignment, arrival in UK event, and Operations participation to Summary Biography; made connections to all Missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Ehle H. Reber crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-427-reber.html

Date
ContributorLee8thbuff
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham 21-Jan-2015. Added SN and KIA event per MACR 15473; Added Role per 303rd Bomb Group website, Gary Moncur, historian; Added decorations and Commemorated event per American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) record; made connections to Place, Aircraft and Mission within existing website data; Edited Biography per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces" Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE. Some data COMBINED from a duplicate entry from Paul Andrews, Project Bits N' Pieces.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 15473, Losses of the 8th & 9th AF by Bishop & Hey Vol. I p. 66

Robert J Swindle: Gallery (3 items)

Object number: UPL 49639 - 1Lt Ehle H. Reber (P), 2Lt Jarold J. Byrom (N)...

Object number: UPL 49646 - "Mr. Hayes and Mr. Phillips, representing the New...

Object number: UPL 49660 - Crash of Jerry Jinx ( 41-24607) (B-17F)