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Military
1st Lt Robert L Crabb, 355FG
Extract from Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) for 1st Lieutenant Robert L Crabb of the 355th Fighter Group researched by historian Bill Beigel. The file contains copies of primary documents that discuss the return of personal effects, circumstances and causes of death, and memorialisation of the fallen airman. If you require access to the full, unedited file please contact Bill Beigel via his website, www.ww2research.com, or the AAM Team at aamwebsite@iwm.org.uk
1st Lieutenant Robert L. Crabb was born 29-Jul-21, the son of Jeremiah and Grace Crabb. His hometown was Williamsburg, Kansas.
Lt Crabb was orginally a co-pilot on a B-24. Flew 30 missions. In March 1945, he flew an additional 5 missions as a pilot. Transferred to the 355th Fighter Group in May 1945.
On 31-May-45, Lt Crabb, of the 355th Fighter Group, 354th Fighter Squadron, was killed in a low level training crash, 100% pilot error as he stalled out, 3 miles from the RAF field at Gransden Lodge. His plane was P-51D 42-106437.
He is buried at the US Military Cemetery at Cambridge, England.
Remembered by Derald Riggs, Oklahoma City, OK.
Awards: AM (4OLC), PH.
Group
Where the 353rd Fighter Group had pioneered ground strafing techniques, it was the 355th Fighter Group who destroyed more enemy aircraft by ground strafing than any other Eighth Air Force Group. Based at Steeple Morden from July 1943 to July 1945, the...
Group
The 389th Bomb Group, known in more familiar terms as "the Sky Scorpions", flew strategic bombing missions in B-24 Liberators from Hethel, England. They also sent detachments to join bases in North Africa at Benghazi No. 10, Libya, between 3 July 1943...
Squadron
Squadron
P-51 Mustang
Claimed 3.5 aerial and 10 strafing kills with Ray S. Morris as "Silky" before being assigned to Clarence H. Graham as "Darlin' Doris", then Duran M. Vickery as "Ann Anita/Alabama Bound (L), Fee ~ Margo (R)"
...
5 September 1944
20 September 1944
25 September 1944
26 September 1944
27 September 1944
25 October 1944
1 November 1944
9 November 1944
27 November 1944
29 November 1944
Military site : airfield
Construction of Hethel airfield began in 1941, and was finished in late 1942. The number of hardstandings was increased from the planned 36 to 50 in 1942, in order to accommodate a full heavy bomb group. The 320th Bomb Group occupied the base for ten...
Military site : airfield
Originally used from 1940 as a small, grass airfield, satellite for nearby RAF Bassingbourn, Steeple Morden was allocated to the Eighth Air Force in August 1942 as a potential bomber base. It was used briefly by the 3rd Photographic Group during the...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Williamsburg, KS, USA | 29 July 1921 |
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1st Lieutenant Robert L. Crabb was born July 29, 1922, the son of Jeremiah and Grace Crabb. His hometown was Williamsburg, Kansas. |
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| Enlisted | Kansas City, KS, USA | 1 August 1942 |
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Kansas City, Kansas |
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| Based | Hethel | 1 August 1944 – May 1945 |
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Flew as B-24 co-pilot on 30 missions. Five as pilot in March 1944. |
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| Based | Steeple Morden | May 1945 – 31 May 1945 |
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Transferred to 355th Fighter Group May 1945 |
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| Killed in Training (KIT) | Gransden Lodge Airfield, Sandy, Cambridgeshire SG19, UK | 31 May 1945 |
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On May 31, 1945, LT Crabb, of the 355th Fighter Group, 354th Fighter Squadron, was killed in a training crash 3 miles from the RAF field at Gransten Lodge. His plane was P-51 tail #42-106437. |
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| Buried | June 1945 | |
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Cambridge American Cemetery |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 27 November 2021 09:45:11 | Al_Skiff | Changes to middlename, biography and events |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 02 August 2018 09:53:19 | general ira snapsorter | Changes to biography |
| Sources | ||
Merged with duplicate entries to include details from: |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 01 August 2018 17:52:56 | Al_Skiff | Changes to service number, role, biography, awards, events, unit associations and place associations |
| Sources | ||
https://www.fold3.com/record/529896955-robert-l-crabb |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 July 2017 16:41:42 | Derald Riggs | Changes to biography and events |
| Sources | ||
Nephew |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 July 2017 16:26:22 | Derald Riggs | Changes to mission associations |
| Sources | ||
389th Bomb Group records, nephew. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 July 2017 16:03:39 | Derald Riggs | Changes to place associations |
| Sources | ||
Nephew |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 July 2017 16:02:30 | Derald Riggs | Changes to unit associations |
| Sources | ||
Nephew, and official Army Air Force records. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 05 July 2017 15:49:48 | Derald Riggs | Changes to nickname, role and awards |
| Sources | ||
Nephew |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 06 May 2015 17:14:27 | rossingtonj | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Associated madingley |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 06 May 2015 17:07:35 | rossingtonj | Changes to unit associations |
| Sources | ||
Unassociated 389th Bomb Group |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 23 February 2015 03:34:56 | WW2 Researcher Bill Beigel | Changes to biography and events |
| Sources | ||
IDPF and/or crash report researched by Bill Beigel. IDPF donated to American Air Museum by Bill Beigel. For more information about this flyer, you may contact http://ww2research.com. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:23:42 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list |
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