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Submit- Full
name
BOYD, Robert Harold - Date of
birth
27 May 1922 -
Age
22 -
Place of birth
Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey -
Hometown
Hudson County, New Jersey
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
32607560 -
Rank
Staff Sergeant -
Function
Tail Gunner -
Unit
329th Bombardment Squadron,
93rd Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
23 March 1945 - Place of
death
Münster, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| F | 20 | 25 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Joseph E. Boyd (father)
Rose U. (O'Brien) Boyd (mother)
Joseph Boyd (brother)
Thomas Boyd (brother)
Gregory Boyd (twin brother)
Walter Boyd (brother)
Plane data
- Serial
number
44-49573 -
Data
Type: B-24L
Nickname: Ted's Travelling Circus
Destination: Münster, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the marschalling yard
MACR: 13602
More information
S/Sgt Robert H. Boyd attended college for 1 year and was a stock clerk. He enlisted in Newark, New Jersey on 15 January 1943.The aircraft was hit by two flak bursts. Immediately after "bombs away" it went into a sharp turn to the left, diving slightly. As it leveled out it burst into flames so completely engulfing the plane that immediately the left wing folded up and the plane swerved down and to the right.
Three crew members survived and were taken prisoner, nine were killed.
S/Sgt. Robert H. Boyd's brother, Lt. Walter M. Boyd, was killed in the Pacific theater and is buried at the Hawaii Punchbowl National Cemetery.
During the 1950's a park in Jersey City was renamed in honor of S/Sgt. Robert H. Boyd and Lt. Walter M. Boyd, as well as another local man killed in the war. The Boyd-McGuiness Park is located near their homes.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.ancestry.com
Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Des Philippet, Robert Boyd (nephew), Fran Griffin (niece) - courtesy of Marcel Wijnstok