Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
RYAN, Robert W - Date of
birth
1920 -
Age
unknown - Place of
birth
Indiana -
Hometown
Marion County, Indiana
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
15084322 -
Rank
Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
452nd Bombardment Squadron,
322nd Bombardment Group, Medium
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
9 November 1944 - Place of
death
Forest du Vau, Gondrecourt-le-Château, France
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Lorraine
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 29 | 48 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Thomas Ryan (father)
Marie Ryan (mother)
Doris Ryan (sister)
William Ryan (brother)
Thomas Ryan (brother)
Donald Ryan (brother)
Wayne Ryan (brother)
Patrick Ryan (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-34146 -
Data
Type: B-26G-01
Nickname: Sarah E
Destination: Landau, Germany
MACR: 10180
More information
Robert W. Ryan graduated from Arsenal Technical High School and worked for the General Motors Corporation as a mechanic.He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana on 2 January 1942.
The mission was to bomb a target at Landau. The records available don't specify the type of target. The secondary target was a bridge in Trier.
According to a statement of 1st Lt James H. McCarty, who was flying another B-26 in the same group, they flew into an overcast when they returned from the secondary target and encountered severe icing conditions. In the vicinity of Nancy, France, his airplane went into a spiral due to the icing. He managed to pull out of it and called the other group members to hear if they were all right. All crews responded except the subject B-26. It was not sighted again.
The entire crew of six men was killed.
A monument at the forest commemorates the crew.
Capt Robert R. Hall was first buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery of Limey, France.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1930/1940 Census, www.fold3.com, www.newspapers.com - The Indianapolis Star
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Thomas Welsh, www.newspapers.com - The Indianapolis Star, https://www.aerosteles.net/steleen-gondrecourtlechateau-b26