Missing information?
Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?
Submit- Full
name
FEDERMAN, Robert John - Date of
birth
24 January 1918 -
Age
26 - Place of
birth
Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin -
Hometown
Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-755004 -
Rank
First Lieutenant -
Function
Bombardier -
Unit
339th Bombardment Squadron,
96th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
12 May 1944 - Place of
death
Hahnstätten, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| B | 17 | 16 |
Immediate family
-
Members
William Federman (father)
Catherine Federman (mother)
Walter Federman (brother)
Carl Federman (brother)
John Federman (brother)
Mary A. Federman (sister)
James Federman (brother)
Kathryn J. Federman (wife)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-97167 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Brux, Czech Republic
Mission: Bombing of the Sudetenlandische-Treibstoffwerke A.G. - hydrogenation plant
MACR: 4858
More information
1st Lt Robert J. Federman was a stock clerk. He enlisted in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 16 June 1941.The airplane was shot down by enemy fighters. Before it crashed, it clipped a rooftop of a hous in the village of Hahnstätten and then plumetted into a hillside about 50 yards further. It burst into flames immediately. Attemps were made to save the crew but extreme heat prevented villagers from getting too close. Instead the villagers waited and, after the bodies were recovered, they were taken to a local churchyard and buried in a common grave. A white marble marker was placed at the gravesite with the numbers of the men, taken from their dog tags. The villagers took care of the grave very well and even placed flowers.
Nine crew members were killed. Only the navigator, Robert Rieckelman, survived and was taken prisoner.
On 5 March 1946, the remains were evacuated to Margraten.
Brux was a German city during the war. Now it is called Most and is situated in the Czech Republic.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com - 1930 Census, www.fold3.com - MACR, WWII Draft Card
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Gwen Hanzlik