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Personal info

Full name
CHRISTENSEN, Robert E
Date of birth
27 September 1917
Age
26
Place of birth
Gallia County, Ohio
Hometown
Pickaway County, Ohio

Military service

Service number
O-691956
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Navigator
Unit
333rd Bombardment Squadron,
94th Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
22 March 1944
Place of death
At the Grosser Stern
Berlin-Grunerwald, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 12 3

Immediate family

Members
Christie Christensen (father)
Esta Christensen (mother)
Evaline Christensen (sister)
Lura Christensen (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
42-31637
Data
Type: B-17
Nickname: Athenian Avenger
Destination: Oranienburg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the Heinkel aviation industry
MACR: 3535

More information

Because of cloud cover, the primary target could not be bombed and therefore the secundary target, the city of Berlin, was attacked.

The plane received 2 or 3 direct flakburst over the target, the tail broke off at the waist and the plane shot up about 100 feet before diving straight down crashing at 1325 hrs. The entire crew was killed.

2nd Lt Christensen was initially buried at the POW Cemetery in Elsgrund-Doberitz. His remains were disinterred at the end of November, begin of December 1946 and evacuated to Ardennes.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, WWIIMemorial, Archives, WWII Draft Card

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Arie-Jan van Hees, Pilot Class Book 43-K, Goodfellow Field, Texas