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Personal info

Full name
LINEHAN, Robert Earl Jr
Date of birth
1 September 1915
Age
27
Place of birth
Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana
Hometown
Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana

Military service

Service number
35166364
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Ball Turret Gunner
Unit
547th Bombardment Squadron,
384th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
22 June 1943
Place of death
English Channel

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 35 49

Immediate family

Members
Robert E. Linehan (father)
Rosa M. (Yohler) Linehan (mother)
James H. Linehan (brother)
Elmer M. Linehan (brother)
Margaret J. Linehan (sister)
John G. Linehan (brother)
Joseph W. Linehan (brother)
Jack Linehan (half-brother)
Margaret E. (Fyler) Linehan (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-5853
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Salvage Queen
Destination: Antwerp, Belgium
Mission: Bombing of the General Motors truck factory
MACR: 14667

More information

Sgt Robert E. Linehan Jr graduated from Cathedral High School and was employed at the United States Rubber Company.

He enlisted in Marion, Indiana on 11 August 1941.

He was killed on his first raid after arriving overseas.
The aircraft was attacked by Fw 190s of II/JG 26 on the return from the target before leaving the coast. It was observed making a gliding approach to the water halfway across the English Channel.

Three crew members survived and were taken prisoner; seven men were killed.

His body washed ashore on the Belgian coast on 3 July 1943. He was buried at the cemetery of Zeebrugge, Belgium, the same day.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / Aja’s Family Tree, www.fold3.com, www.newspapers.com - The Indianapolis Star / The Indianapolis News

Photo source: www.findagrave.com, www.newspapers.com - The Indianapolis News