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Personal info

Full name
RENNIE, Robert Philo
Date of birth
12 July 1925
Age
19
Place of birth
Pennsylvania
Hometown
Blossburg, Tioga County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
33609175
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Waist Gunner
Unit
358th Bombardment Squadron,
303rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
10 April 1945
Place of death
Gross Glasowsee
Between Gross Schönebeck and Liebenwalde, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle
Plot Row Grave
G 15 68

Immediate family

Members
James Rennie (father)
Melvina Rennie (mother)
Mary M. Rennie (sister)
James W. Rennie (brother)

Plane data

Serial number
44-8427
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Henn's Revenge
Destination: Oranienburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Army HQ munitions depot and airfield
MACR: 13875

More information

Sgt Robert P. Rennie was a chauffeur.

He enlisted in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania at 30 July 1943.

He flew on all of the 22 missions of this crew.

The aircraft was victim of a persisant attack of a ME-262 jet fighter on the tail. It burst into flames between #3 and #4 engines but was not seen to fall apart. It held course for a very few seconds after being hit, then peeled slightly up and then slid over and down to the right through the formation. It appeared at that time to be out of control. A few moments later the airplane blew up and broke up into two main parts and crashed in the Gross Glasow Lake, 20 kilometres northeast of the target. A wing and engine fell in the upper part of the lake and the tail and part of the fuselage came down in the lower part of the lake. The wreckage could be seen at 50 to 150 feet from the shore. One crew member survived and was taken prisoner, eight were killed.

Sgt Rennie's body later washed ashore. He was first buried in a cemetery at Gross Schönebeck.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Robert S. Dekoschak (nephew), www.303rdbg.com, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.footnote.com

Photo source: www.findagrave.com, Robert S. Dekoschak, Daniel Bon, www.303rdbg.com