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name
DEIGNAN, Robert R - Date of
birth
13 May 1925 -
Age
19 - Place of
birth
Bloomfield, Walworth County, Wisconsin -
Hometown
Walworth County, Wisconsin
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
16107054 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Engineer/Top Turret Gunner -
Unit
327th Bombardment Squadron,
92nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
3 March 1945 - Place of
death
Forchies-la-Marche, Belgium
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| D | 7 | 6 |
Immediate family
-
Members
James F. Deignan (father)
Anna M. (Werner) Deignan (mother)
James W. Deignan (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-6584 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Ruhland, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the oil refinery
More information
S/Sgt Robert R. Deignan joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Chicago, Illinois on 11 May 1943.The mission of the day was to bomb the oil refinery of Ruhland with 222 bombers. Only 24 of them attacked this primary target. 166, including #44-6584, bombed the secondary target, the marshalling yard at Chemnitz.
While over Brussels, when returning to their base in England, flying at 25,000', aircraft #43-38675 hit prop wash and dropped down, striking aircraft #44-6584.
It was struck at the radio room, broke into three pieces, and both aircraft spiraled down. One parachute came from Lt Schmidt's aircraft: its sole survivor was S/Sgt Edward W. Bartley, Jr., the tail gunner. The other eight crew members were killed.
From the other plane, only Sgt Marshall P. Dellinger, ball turret gunner, was killed when his parachute failed to open. All other members of the crew survived.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Jac Engels, Terry Hirsch, Jean-marie Plusquin, WWIIMemorial.com, Archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, Clemson University Alumni Association, ArmyAirforces.com forum - "The Route As Briefed" by John S. Sloan
Photo source: Jean-marie Plusquin, Edward E. Bartley