Military
Commanding Officer of 492nd BG. This group was more widely known as the 'Carpetbaggers.' The mission of this group was to air drop supplies and agents in German occupied areas of Europe during WW II. Its concomitant mission was to land C-47 aircraft in German occupied areas to evacuate designated individuals from behind the German lines.
DFC/ Legion of Merit w/ Oak Leaf Cluster/ AM w/ 4 Oak Leaf Cluster/ Outstanding Unit Award/ American Defense Medal/ American Campaign Medal w/ 1 Bronze Star/ Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal/ EAME Medal w/ 2 battle stars/ WW II Victory Medal/ National Defense Service Medal/ AF Longe
Born in Michigan in 1917, Robert Fish graduated from the Army Air Corps Flying Training in 1940 and in1941 was assigned to 46th Squadron of 41st Bomber Group in May 1941. In 1942 he flew calibration of the new radar net on the U.S. West Coast and later transferred to anti-submarine patrol.
In June 1943 Col Fish was transferred to England. He first flew Liberators from Dunkeswell to counter German submarines in the East Atlantic. In October he was assigned to the Carpetbagger Mission 801st/492nd Group based at Harrington.
The American group, supporting the SOE Lysanders and Whitley aircraft, dropped 556 agents and delivered 4,511 tons of supplies. They carried out over 3,000 sorties. Colonel Fish was the Operations Officer at Harrington.
After the war he was transferred to Grafton-Underwood with 384th Bomber Group and later flew “high point” U.S. servicemen to Casa Blanca for their first leg home.
Returning to US in 1945 he was assigned to Tactical Air Command HQ, McDill A.F.B., Florida. His later career took him to China; U.S.A.F. Air Staff HQ; Air Training Command U.S. HQ and as Vice Commander at the Lowry A.F.B. Training Centre until his retirement in 1970.
Group
The 492nd Bomb Group, after flying similar missions to other heavy bomb groups until the late summer of 1944, took up 'Carpetbagger' missions, transporting agents, supplies and propaganda leaflets to southern France. The Group was taking on the role of...
Headquarters
Military site : airfield
Grafton Underwood was built in 1941 by George Wimpey and Co. Ltd. It was the first airfield in England to receive an Eighth Air Force flying unit, when in May 1942 personnel of the 15th Bomb Squadron took up residence. As a satellite airfield for...
Military site : airfield
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | San Antonio, Texas | 30 May 1917 |
| Assumption of Command | Grafton Underwood, Kettering NN14, UK | 17 June 1945 – 18 October 1945 |
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Assumed Command of the 384th Bombardment Group (H), Station 106 on 17 June 1945. |
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| Assigned | Grafton Underwood, Kettering NN14, UK | 17 June 1945 |
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Assigned Headquarters Detachment, 384th Bombardment Group effective 17 June 1945 on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #119 dated 16 June 1945. |
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| Died | 12 October 2008 | |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 01 August 2016 22:14:32 | bombercommand | Changes to role, biography, events, unit associations, place associations and media associations |
| Sources | ||
http://384thbombgroup.com/_content/_pages/person.php?PersonKey=4476 |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 January 2016 14:42:46 | Anne Hughes | Changes to events |
| Sources | ||
Obituary |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 January 2016 14:39:43 | Anne Hughes | Changes to biography |
| Sources | ||
Memoirs of the 801st/492nd Bombardment Group - The Carpetbaggers by Lt Col R.W.Fish |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:24:15 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / self, http://www.801492.org/MainMenu.htm |
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