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name
TRUE, Robert George - Date of
birth
13 February 1921 -
Age
22 - Place of
birth
Ogden, Monroe County, New York -
Hometown
Spencerport, Monroe County, New York
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
32471793 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Left Waist Gunner -
Unit
535th Bombardment Squadron,
381st Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Finding of Death - Date of
death
5 November 1943 - Place of
death
Hollandsch Diep near the village Klundert, Netherlands.
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
Morris L. True (father)
Marguerite True (mother)
Malcolm H. True (brother)
Eleanor L. True (sister)
Jean M. True (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-30852 -
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Hot Toddy aka Blowin' Bessie
Destination: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the synthetic oil refinery
MACR: 1399
More information
After graduating at Spencerport High School, Robert True was employed by the International Business Machines Corporation as a payroll clerk and timekeeper. He enlisted in Rochester on 14 September 1942.The airplane was hit by flak over the target, knocking out #2 engine. Oil vapor came out the #2 nacelle and the propeller was windmilling. also #1 engine was hit and was feathered. It kept up with the formation for about ten minutes and then dropped out and was observed to be losing altitude. Later the plane was attacked by German fighters, hitting it near the cockpit.
Some of the crew members jumped out before the plane hit the water of the Hollandsch Diep near the village named Klundert.
In total seven crew members were killed from which six were never recovered. Three crew members survived and were taken prisoner.
The wreck of the plane was recovered in October 1969.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Townsend Family Tree / 1930 Census, www.newspapers.com - Democrat and Chronicle
Photo source: Peter Schouteten