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Personal info

Full name
WIRTZ, Robert Vernon
Date of birth
21 April 1921
Age
22
Place of birth
Baltimore, Maryland
Hometown
Baltimore, Maryland

Military service

Service number
33375075
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Right Waist Gunner
Unit
568th Bombardment Squadron,
390th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
10 October 1943
Place of death
Ladbergen, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 37 40

Immediate family

Members
Lawrence V. Wirtz (father)
Myrlie M. Smith (mother)
Ermon H. Smith (stepfather)
James F. Wirtz (brother)
John G. Wirtz (brother)
Lawrence K. Wirtz (brother)
Lillian M. Wirtz (sister)
Doris V. Wirtz (sister)
Betty K. Wirtz (sister)
Nihla T. Smith (half-sister)
Mary L. Wirtz (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-30262
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Tech Supply
Destination: Münster, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the railroad
MACR: 862

More information

S/Sgt Robert Wirtz was a mechanic. He enlisted on 11 September 1942 in Baltimore, Maryland.

The airplane was shot down by rockets, fired by Uffz Jozef Holzmann in a Bf-110G-2 of ZG 1/1.

S/Sgt Wirtz was unable to leave the airplane because of the pressure built up when the plane went out into a spin.

Six crew members survived and were taken prisoner. Four were killed and were initially buried at the Protestant Cemetery of Ladbergen on 11 October 1943.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Army Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - 1940 Census / Headstone and Interment Record / Family Tree, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.8thafhs.com, http://www.joebaugher.cm

Photo source: Jac Engels, https://www.390th.org/ - Patootie, Elaine Wirtz