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Personal info

Full name
BADER, Robert Edward
Date of birth
21 February 1919
Age
26
Place of birth
Green Bay, Brown County, Wisconsin
Hometown
Stevens Point, Portage County, Wisconsin

Military service

Service number
O-2058664
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Co-Pilot
Unit
365th Bombardment Squadron,
305th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Finding of Death
Date of death
15 October 1945
Place of death
Freight yard of Niehl, north of Cologne, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Walls of the Missing

Immediate family

Members
Norman J. Bader (father)
Agnes G. (Pufall) Bader (mother)
Ralph J. Bader (brother)
Blanche A. Bader (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
43-38108
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Cologne, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yard
MACR: 9475

More information

2nd Lt Robert E. Bader attended Emerson High School in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

The mission took place on 14 October 1944

The aircraft collided with aircraft 43-38066 in midair. Its propellers chewed through the other airplane. It went down out of control and broke into small pieces and exploded below the formation.

The entire crew of nine men was killed. They were initially buried at the West Cemetery of Cologne on 15 October 1944.

Lt Bader was declared officially dead one day and one year after he was reported missing in action.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.findagrave.com, www.ancestry.com - Family Trees, www.fold3.com - MACR

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.ancestry.com - Emerson High School Yearbook 1934