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name
STOVER, Robert E "Bob" - Date of
birth
2 October 1920 -
Age
22 -
Place of birth
Pittsburg Township, Mitchell County, Kansas -
Hometown
Pittsburg, Crawford County, Kansas
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-661392 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Pilot -
Unit
62nd Fighter Squadron,
56th Fighter Group
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
30 July 1943 - Place of
death
150 meters west of the Molendijk
Den Bommel, the Netherlands
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 43 | 21 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Walter E. Stover (father)
Mamie L. (Brown) Stover (mother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
41-6209 -
Data
Type: P-47C
MACR: 218
Mission: Bomber escort
More information
1st Lt Robert E. Stover graduated from Pittsburgh (Kansas) High School in 1938 and attended college.He enlisted in the US Army Air Forces at Fort Levenworth, Kansas on 8 November 1941. He was sent to England in February 1943.
On 30 July 1943 his mission was to escort bombers back to England. Near Dordrecht he fought with a German fighter, piloted by Siegfried Schnell. This fight caused Stover's death.
Witnesses in Den Bommel saw an object falling from the plane. It turned out to be that it was Robert E. Stover's body. It is unknown if he jumped or fell out of his plane.
He was buried at the Den Bommel Cemetery on 2 August 1943 .
His plane crashed near the Oudelandsedijk in Oude Tonge, the Netherlands. His plane was recovered in 2007. In May 2009 a monument has been founded for Lt. Stover on the crashsite of his plane.
Source of information: Terry Hirsch, Stichting WO2 Goeree-Overflakkee, Little Friends
Photo source: Peter Randall (personal photo), Sebastiaan Vonk (grave), Pittsburgh (Kansas) High School 1938, www.findagrave.com