Anderson, Robert Moffat, 2nd Lt

Last Known Activity
Robert Moffat Anderson, the son of Mr. and Mrs. F.W. Anderson, was born in 1920 in Chester, South Carolina. He graduated from Chester High School, and then attended Clemson University, graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1941. While at Clemson, he was a member of the ROTC unit as a 1st Lieutenant, holding the position of Platoon Leader with the company.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps' Aviation Cadet program on July 15, 1941. He received flight training and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant. After organizational and combat crew training, he was sent overseas in October, 1942. He arrived at Chelveston, England and was assigned to the 365th Bomb Squadron of the 305th Bomb Group.

He was assigned as co-pilot to a crew headed by Lt Conrad Hilbinger. On January 13, 1943, the crew was scheduled for a mission against the locomotive works at Lille, France. Once the target was reached, the flak was intense but not especially accurate. It was on the return trip over Belgium that Hilbinger's B-17 was hit with 5 bursts of flak. The aircraft crashed near Pollinkhove, Belgium.

All the crew were killed. The bodies were recovered and buried locally. After the war, the remains were transferred to Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium. Sometime later (approximately 1945 - 1948) Lt Anderson's remains were returned to the U.S. and buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Chester, South Carolina, where he lies today.

In 2003, the inhabitants of Pollinkhove erected a monument to the crew of this aircraft.


www.culamni.clemson.edu
www.305thbombgroup.com/History.html
www.aviationheritage.eu/.../monuments-bemanning.
www.gallery2.384thbombgroup.com/6292-1/FORTLOG.doc
www.findagrave.com/search
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/archives/index.php??-24638.html
NARA Enlistment records
"State" newspaper, Columbia, SC issue of 8/15/48
 

Comments/Citation
Lt Anderson was co-pilot of B-17F # 41-24601, nicknamed "Buckeye Blitz," assigned to the 365th Bomb Squadron.

Missing Air Crew Report 15639 covers this incident. (One account gives this as 15638, but that is incorrect.) It identifies the crew as composed of:

1 Lt Conrad J. Hilbinger    p
2 Lt Robert M. Anderson   c-p
2 Lt Arthur P. Halbrooks   nav
2 Lt John J. Killinger   bomb
SSgt Ward H. Brown    eng/tt gun
SSgt Joseph B. Anderson    r/o
SSgt Hugh G. Erwin    btg
SSgt Robert S. Dickson   rwg
Sgt John C. Parise   lwg
Sgt James A. Boyette    tail gun

These are the names and spellings from the MACR and 305th BG records. The monument in Belgium spells these names differently:

Killinger = Kellinger
Parise = Paris

Most of the crew are still buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery.

Service photo source:
www.cualumni.clemson.edu