Robert Irwin Edwards
MilitaryRadio operator, Simpson crew. 381st BG, 534th BS. Shot down 17 August 1943 in B-17 #42-30245 'Lucky Lady'. Mission #2 "Black Tuesday" to the ball bearing works at Schweinfurt, Germany. MACR 381. Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft VIIA and XVIIB. S/Sgt Edwards was a prisoner with S/Sgt Gregory (RWG), S/Sgt Beasley (TG) and S/Sgt (BTG). They were evacuated from Stalag Luft XVIIB on April 1945 and marched West for 16 days until liberated by Patton's forces near Braunau.
Johnston, PA
POW
Connections
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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
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-735490
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 20815174
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38107155
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33287461
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 34316274
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Lucky Lady
- Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
Missions
![Regensburg, after being bombed by B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 385th Bomb Group, 17 August 1943. Official caption on image: "(O-5-1-385)(17-8-43)(30171-6 3/8 - 24,000)(Regensberg)." Passed for publication 6 Sep 1943. Printed caption on reverse: '#44: View of the target.' Censor no: 282458. On reverse: US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-413725.jpg.webp?itok=AMwIgGyH)
- Date: 17 August 1943
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag 7a, Moosburg
- Site type: Prisoner of war camp
- Known as: Stalag 17b, Krems an der Donau, Austria
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
20 January 1921 | ||
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Germany | 17 August 1943 | Stalag Luft VIIA Stalag Luft XVIIB |
Revisions
Brought in source from duplicate record:
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / www.381st.org/UnitHistory/Data/Roster.aspx
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 381 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database