Robert J Whitney
Military
From the American Air Museum in Britain's crew photo for Capt. Robert J. Whitney, and to be found at: https://www.americanairmuseum.com/person/192219
Object Number - UPL 52881 - Cpt. Robert J. Whitney, pilot with his crew in the 832nd Bomb. Squadron, and Air Leader by December, 1944, flying sorties with other crews in the...
"Capt. Whitney arrives at Station 174, RAF Sudbury, with his first group of replacements [crew] in mid-July of 1944; they travelled over to England in the B17G that they nicknamed the "Pogo Stick" (fate and s/n of aircraft is unknown). He flies his first combat mission with the 486th Bomb. Group on the 4th of August. He then flies with his own 832nd Bomb. Squadron crew for 18 missions, after which he is re-assigned as an Air Commander in December of 1944.
"As Air Commander, he would appear in other squadrons' crews for different missions. He and his air staff would be flying with the lead pilot of the lead squadron. The second pilot (copilot), would then fly at the tail gunner position (Officer Tail Gunner -OTG). Not only would he be responsible for the tail gun, he'd also keep a record of who was out of position in the group, and who was having trouble. Lead crews, for the reason, didn't have a full compliment. Because the planes used for lead had a radar dome in place of the ball turret, the ball gunner and tail gunner were removed from the crew."
For an account of Whitney and his bomber crew's flight from the United States to England in the "Pogo Stick," visit the 486th's web site at this address. The account is told by Whitney's navigator, George L. Nason II: https://486th.org/Photos/Letters2/Nason.htm
(As told to me by the historian of the 486th Bomb. Group web site, during private emails on the 20th and 25th of October, 2021. hv)
ALSO: See the official crew list of Pilot Lt. Willis P. Smith at the 486th Bomb. Group web page at: http://www.486th.org/Photos/Crew2/SmithWP.htm
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
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 486th Bomb Group 832nd Bomb Squadron
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 486th Bomb Group 832nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 773315
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 486th Bomb Group 832nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38477894
- Highest Rank: Sergeant (RAF)
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 486th Bomb Group 833rd Bomb Squadron
- Role/Job: Radio Operator / Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 486th Bomb Group 834th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34403449
- Highest Rank: Sergeant (RAF)
- Role/Job: Flight Engineer & Top T. Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The Old Yard Dog
- Unit: 486th Bomb Group 832nd Bomb Squadron 833rd Bomb Squadron 834th Bomb Squadron 835th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 486th Bomb Group 832nd Bomb Squadron 833rd Bomb Squadron 834th Bomb Squadron 835th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 486th Bomb Group 832nd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 486th Bomb Group 832nd Bomb Squadron 833rd Bomb Squadron 834th Bomb Squadron 835th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Unit: 486th Bomb Group 832nd Bomb Squadron 833rd Bomb Squadron 834th Bomb Squadron 835th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 9 April 1945
- Date: 30 March 1945
- Date: 17 March 1945
- Date: 12 March 1945
![B-24 Liberators of the 446th Bomb Group drop bombs over their target. Image stamped on reverse: 'US Official Photograph.' [stamp], 'Sacred.' [stamp] Handwritten caption on reverse: 446 BG led by "Ronnie" unloading demolition + incendiaries on Rheine Marshalling Yards, 9 March 1945.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-380571.jpg.webp?itok=36lZj_Ve)
- Date: 9 March 1945
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Acton
Revisions
There is only evidence that Flight Capt. Whitney only shared a mission with T/Sgt. Marvin Lee Lutes (30 March, 1945, 8th A.F. 918), and no other member of Lt. George 'Hunter' D. Smith's 835th Bomb. Sq. crew. hv
There is only evidence that Flight Capt. Robert J. Whitney flew with T/Sgt. Marvin Lee Lutes, formerly of Lt. George D. Smith's 835th Bomb. Sq., and no other members of Smith's crew; as per loading lists that can be found on the official web page of the 486th Bomb. Group at: https://486th.org/
See the official crew list of Pilot Lt. Willis P. Smith at the 486th Bomb. Group web page at: http://www.486th.org/Photos/Crew2/SmithWP.htm
See the official crew list of Pilot Lt. Willis P. Smith at the 486th Bomb. Group web page at: http://www.486th.org/Photos/Crew2/SmithWP.htm
Added a bit more to Whitney's biography, see : https://486th.org/Photos/Letters2/Nason.htm
Personal emails from the webmaster and historian of the 486th Bomb. Group web page, and also see Whitney's Crew & Mission page on this web site at this address: https://486th.org/BS832/Whitney.htm
See Flight Captain Whitney's Crew & Mission sheet at the official 486th Bomb. Group web page at this address:
https://486th.org/BS832/Whitney.htm
This biography bit was from two personal communications with Robin, the Webmaster and Historian of the 486th Bomb. Group's official web page, on the 20th and 25th of October, 2021.
See Flight Captain Whitney's Crew & Mission sheet at the official 486th Bomb. Group web page at this address:
https://486th.org/BS832/Whitney.htm
Added Flight Capt. Whitney's other Bomb. Squadron association of the 832nd, with whom he flew as pilot from his first mission in August of 1944, until November 1944, according to his 'loading list,' which I obtained from the historian/webmaster of the official web page of the 486th Bombardment Group. Whitney also flew as 'Air Leader', according to this loading list, for the 832nd, 833rd, 834th, and 835th on sorties from 6th December, 1944, until his last mission on 9th April, 1944. hv
This information from the official web page of the 486th Bomb. Group, and specifically, the crew and mission page of Lt. G. Smith of the 835th Bomb. Sq. at: https://486th.org/BS835/SmithG.htm
From the photo page of the 486th Bombardment Group's official web page: https://486th.org/Photos/index.htm
From the official web page of the 835th Bombardment Squadron at: https://486th.org/Photos/Crew2/SmithH.htm
From the official web page of the 835th Bomb Squadron: https://486th.org/Photos/Crew2/SmithH.htm
From a photo on the official web page of the 835th Bomb Squadron: https://486th.org/Photos/Crew2/SmithH.htm
Official web page of the 835th Bombardment Squadron: https://486th.org/BS835/index.htm
Official web page of the 835th Bombardment Squadron: https://486th.org/BS835/index.htm
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / WWW.486th.org roster
