Robert Louis Alford
MilitaryAdded squadron association
Wing's lead plane, piloted by Capt Merlin "Gary" Miller and carried the 339th's commander Lt. Col. Melvin Buckner as command pilot. Prisoner of War (POW) crashed at Gustausborg on 13 Jan 45 in B-17 44-8489.
Awards: DFC, AM (3OLC), PH, POW, WWII Victory, EAME (4 x Battle Stars)
From Capt Alford's grand daughter Christine on memorial day 2022:
"In memory of my grandfather, Captain Robert L Alford, bombardier, 96th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. He was lead plane/bombardier, and his plane was hit 30 seconds before hitting his target.
With the plane’s controls shot out, he was able to zero in on their target and release the bombs before having to bail out (target was close to Frankenstein)- allowing the remaining planes in their group to drop their bombs and hit their target.
Although his plane was hit and controls were knocked out, he was able to stay on target and release the bombs on board. Bail out orders were given, his plane went into a tailspin, he was knocked unconscious and was thrown from the plane. He came to just 1000ft from a river with plane wreckage tangled around his leg. He was able to pull his parachute in time to land in the Mainz River in Germany.
Local Germans loaded him in a wagon and took him to POW camp where he remained until the end of the war with a broken left leg at the hip and 3 broken ribs. Unfortunately, 4 crew members were KIA but 6 survived, although all were POW’s until the end of the war.
Thank you to all the men and women who fought for our country and did not come home. We are forever grateful."
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 96th Bomb Group 337th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 13 January 1945
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Station 138
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Del Rio, TX | 22 June 1917 | |
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Germany | 13 January 1945 | Prisoner of War (POW) |
Died |
23 December 1982 | ||
Buried |
Sunset Memorial Park San Antonio, Bexar County, TX | 26 December 1982 | Sunset Memorial Park San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas |
Based |
Snetterton Heath | 13 January 1945 | Assigned to 337BS, 96BG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
From Christine's Facebook post in "fans of the b-17 flying fortress" group.
Added a "-" to the A/C tail # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 11570 / MACR 11570; Snetterton Falcons, pg 149 / MACR 11570; Snetterton Falcons, pg 149, 222, 226 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database