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name
CRAWFORD, Robert A - Date of
birth
23 October 1921 -
Age
23 - Place of
birth
Seattle, King County, Washington -
Hometown
King County, Washington
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
38479607 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Top Turret Gunner/Engineer -
Unit
418th Bombardment Squadron,
100th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
5 April 1945 - Place of
death
North Sea, between Belgium and the British Isles
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 24 | 2 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Archie Crawford (father)
Grace Crawford (mother)
Kathleen Crawford (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-37636 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Nürnberg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marshalling yards
MACR: 13849
More information
Sgt. Robert A. Crawford graduated from West Seattle High School and attended Baylor University.The airplane was last seen near Liège, Belgium on the route from the target. The weather conditions were very bad and the group fromation was broken up in order to more safely penetrate cloud banks. There appeared to be nothing wrong with the plane. It may have had a fuel problem. Nothing was seen or heard from it after it entered the clouds. It must have crashed or ditched in the North Sea since several bodies washed ashore later.
The entire crew of nine was killed.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, 100th Bomb Group Foundation, Terry Hirsch, www.100thbg.com, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.8thafhs.com, 1940 US Census, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: www.findagrave.com, Alain Rosseels