-
F/O Robert S. Alexander of Brooklyn, NY, first flew with the 3rd Gunnery Tow-target Flight. On 1 April 1945 he was transferred to the 368th Fighter Squadron, with whom he served through September 1945.
-
F/O Robert S Alexander :- Air medal award card. 356FG.
-
F/O Robert S Alexander :- Purple Heart award card. 356FG.
Assigned to 495FTG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 361FS, 356FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 3rd Gunnery & Tow Target Flight. Transferred to 368FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF. Ended Tour of Duty (ETD).
Awards: AM (OLC), PH, WWII Victory, EAME.
Service
Units served with
-
Group
The 356th Fighter Group flew 413 missions between 15 October 1943 and 7 May 1945 and suffered the highest ratio of losses to enemy aircraft claims of any Eighth Air Force Group. This gave the Group the reputation of being the 'hard luck' outfit. The...
-
Group
The 359th Fighter Group flew 346 missions from East Wretham between December 1943 and April 1945. In the main these missions were escorting bombers flying over occupied Europe. The Group, soon after converting from Thunderbolts to Mustangs, were...
-
Group
The 495th Fighter Training Group, which operated in England from December 1943, trained P-47 Thunderbolt pilots. These pilots, who had received the basic training in the USA would be assigned to a training group to practise ETO operational procedures...
-
-
-
Squadron
Distinguished Unit Citation: Germany, 11 September 1944.
-
Associated Place
-
Military site : airfield
Atcham, at some remove from other American Air Force bases in Shropshire, was used by USAAF to train pilots from June 1942, several months before the American Eagle Squadrons were combined to form the 4th Fighter Group. Pilots here were mainly trained...
-
Military site : airfield
East Wretham was not improved to Class A standard. It retained its shorter runways, although eventually pierced-steel planking was laid to make take offs and landings easier for the Thunderbolt, and then Mustang, pilots. Steel matting was also laid to...
-
Military site : airfield
Opened in 1917 as home to the RFC Aeroplane Experimental Unit, Martlesham Heath became well known during the 1920s-30s as home to the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment. Used as an RAF fighter station from 1939, with only a grass airfield...
Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Lived in |
Brooklyn, NY, USA |
1940 |
Crashed |
Marshall Airfield (FRI), Fort Riley, KS 66442, USA |
8 March 1943 |
Taxiing Accident Marshall Field, Ft Riley, Kansas Cat 3 damage, pilot F/O Robert S Alexander, 8-Mar-43.
L-3B 42-14758 - 5 Obsn, 77 Obsn
|
Crashed |
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), 3400 E Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262, USA |
4 September 1943 |
Landing Accident Ground Loop Palm Springs, California Cat 3 damage, pilot F/O Robert S Alexander, 4-Sep-43.
O-52 40-2865 - 11 Tac Recon, 74 Tac Recon.
|
Assigned |
Atcham, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK |
November 1943 – 18 November 1943 |
Assigned to 495FTG, 8AF USAAF.
|
Transferred |
Martlesham, Suffolk, UK |
18 November 1943 – 13 February 1944 |
Transferred to 361FS, 356FG, 8AF USAAF.
|
Lived in |
Brooklyn, NY |
1944 |
Transferred |
Wretham, Thetford, Norfolk IP24, UK |
13 February 1944 – 1 April 1945 |
Transferred to 3rd Gunnery & Tow Target Flight.
|
Transferred |
Wretham, Thetford, Norfolk IP24, UK |
1 April 1945 – September 1945 |
Transferred to 368FS, 359FG, 8AF USAAF.
|
End Tour of Duty (ETD) |
England, UK |
September 1945 |
Ended Tour of Duty (ETD).
|