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Personal info

Full name
ASHLEY, Robert W
Date of birth
3 April 1918
Age
25
Place of birth
New York City, New York
Hometown
Brooklyn, Kings County, New York

Military service

Service number
O-746269
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Co-Pilot
Unit
367th Bombardment Squadron,
306th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
22 December 1943
Place of death
In the vicinity of Venne, 10 miles northeast of Osnabrück, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
M 16 13

Immediate family

Members
Herbert H. Ashley (father)
Margaret V. (Stuart) Ashley (mother)
Rosemary Ashley (sister)
Dolores Ashley (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-3363
Data
Type: B-17F
Nickname: Punchy
Destination: Osnabrück, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the communications facilities
MACR: 1716

More information

Robert W. Ashley attended high school for four years and was a clerk.

He volunteered for the Air Corps of the Army of the United States in New York City, New York on 6 April 1942.

Enemy aircraft knocked out #1 and #2 engines and severely damaged a wing. Three crew members managed to bail and were taken prisoner, seven men were killed. They were initially buried at the POW cemetery of Achmer air base on 23 December 1943.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.fold3.com - MACR, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1940 Census, www.newspapers.com - The Brooklyn Daily Eagle 14 October 1943

Photo source: www.306bg.org - Philippe Smeets, www.newspapers.com - The Brooklyn Daily Eagle 14 October 1943, www.ancestry.com - Stuart-DeVito Family Tree