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Personal info

Full name
STEWART, Robert F
Date of birth
unknown
Age
unknown
Place of birth
unknown
Hometown
Wayne County, Michigan

Military service

Service number
O-757572
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Bombardier
Unit
325th Bombardment Squadron,
92nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
29 May 1944
Place of death
Denzig, 8 km southwest of Kallies, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 32 20

Immediate family

Members
Horace Stewart (father)
Fred Stewart (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-37877
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Popcorn Fort
Destinaltion: Cottbus, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Focke-Wulf Aviation Industry
MACR: 5357

More information

2nd Lt Robert F. Stewart graduated from MacKenzie High School.

Statement of 2nd Lt Herdman S. Porter, O-813057: “Ship 877 was hit on first or second attack. A 20mm went through left wing, outboard of #1 engine. 877 flew in this position for about ten (10) minutes, then peeled off to the right, apparently under control. About a minute after that, the left wing buckled, and fire started at the trailing edge. A few seconds thereafter, the wing section broke off, and the ship went into a steep spiral to the left out of control. Seven chutes were seen by my crew members.”

Statement of 2nd Lt Harry Avery, pilot of A/C 42-37877:
“Our plane was hit by enemy fighter action, caught on fire, and blew up in midair. After plane was hit, I gave orders for men to put chutes on and bail out. The navigator and I saw two bodies on ground without chutes, which evidently were blown out of plane. Our navigator recognized clothing on one of the bodies to be that of bombardier (2nd Lt Stewart). I believe that the other body was subject's (S/Sgt McIlroy)."

Lt Stewart's body was found without a parachute, and it is believed that it was blown off, due to the state of his body.

Denzig and Kallies, Germany are now know as Dębsko and Kalisz in Poland.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.8thafhs.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, WWII Hospital Admission File

Photo source: www.findagrave.com, www.panaramio.com / Pawelm (plaque at crashsite), Gene McIlroy