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2nd Lt Robert D. Winkler graduated from Stamford High school in 1936. He took a four year chemistry course at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. He was employed at the laboratories of the Yale and Towne Manufacturing Company.

He volunteered for the Regular Army on 9 July 1941 at Hartford, Connecticut. He served with the Chemical Warfare branch before transferring to the Air Corps. He was sent overseas in 1 September 1943.

One survivor, Lt Schutz, the Navigator, gave this brief account later after the war upon returning to U.S. control from POW status. He noted that only himself and Sgt Harris, the other surviving member, were able to bail out of the crippled ship. In the target area, this aircraft was attacked and severely damaged by enemy fighters. The nose section was badly hit and the ship caught on fire. The pilot had asked for a heading away to some location (not readable in this man’s account) which points to this aircraft not being in the bomber formation at the time of attack. The Navigator notes that he got out of the ship by virtue of falling through the nose section damage, and the surviving gunner, Harris, had gotten out the waist window. The report stated that it was positive - no other crew members were able to egress this stricken plane. The attack on this aircraft occurred about 1200 hours in the target area at an altitude of 22,000 feet.