Anderson, Robert L., Sgt

Last Known Activity
Robert Laverne Anderson was born in Lake City, South Carolina, probably about 1923. No records of his childhood have been located, but he enrolled in Clemson University in 1941 as a member of the Class of 1945. He dropped out to join the Army Air Forces. Taking his training and rank achieved into consideration, this was probably in late 1942 or early 1943.

He was sent to aerial gunnery school. When he completed this course, he was assigned to the 459th Bomb Group which deployed to Italy in January 1944. On a combat mission to bomb German war facilities at Munich, Germany, intense but inaccurate flak was encountered prior to IP. The bomb run was made successfully, but just afterward, an observer stated 5 flak shells burst under the aircraft. The aircraft dropped 500 feet, and the left wing tip was seen to curl upward. The pilot gained control, but the # 1 engine fell from the wing. The aircraft went into a tight spin and crashed. Only one parachute was observed.

The one crewman who parachuted down was captured. The bodies of the crew were buried locally, and after the war, some remains were returned to the U.S. and interred at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery. A marker stone at Plot I, Graves 134-136 lists 7 of the crew members. One crew member is listed on the Walls of the Missing at Epinal American Cemetery in Europe. The remaining crew member's disposition is unknown.


www.findagrave.com/search
www.459bg.org/Anderson_Robert_A6544_459BG.cfm
www.459bg.org/MACR/Details.cfm?MID=184
www.459bg.org/459th_aircraft.cfm
http://cualumni.clemson.esu/index.php

Comments/Citation
The aircraft involved in this incident was B-24 J # 44-40479, nicknamed "Hogan's Hellcats," assigned to the 758th Bomb Squadron.

Missing Air Crew Report 5849 was issued, and identifies the crew as:

2 Lt Walter H. Michaels   p
2 Lt Lyndon H. Beam, Jr.    c-p
2 Lt Leonard Brosky    nav
F/O Arthur H. Knott   bomb
SSgt William S. Jensen    eng
Sgt  Benjamin J. Russell, Jr    r/o
Sgt Clayton M. Draper    btg
Sgt Robert L. Anderson   lwg
Sgt Robert J. Reggs    rwg
Sgt John D. Baker   tail gun


Lt Brosky was the only survivor.