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name
SIEVERS, Robert Leroy - Date of
birth
22 August 1924 -
Age
20 - Place of
birth
Illinois -
Hometown
Cook County, Illinois
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
36614062 -
Rank
Technical Sergeant -
Function
Bombardier -
Unit
450th Bombardment Squadron,
322nd Bombardment Group, Medium
-
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters
Death
-
Status
Missing in Action - Date of
death
16 April 1945 - Place of
death
South of Wittenberg, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten - Walls of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
George Sievers (father)
Emma Sievers (mother)
Regina Sievers (sister)
George Sievers (brother)
Betty I. Sievers (sister)
Lucy Sievers (sister)
Plane data
- Serial
number
42-96225 -
Data
Type: B-26B-55
Destination: Wittenberg, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the railroad station
MACR: 14463
More information
He is remembered at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Will County,Illinois.
Statement of Donald E. SHEPHERD, O-704507, 1st Lt., 450th Bomb Squadron:
"I was flying as co-pilot in the aircraft leading the flight. The lost aircraft was flying on our left wing. I first observed Lt. Dow's aircraft as we turned off the target and his plane came directly under ours. The plane was in a steep dive and smoke was coming from its tail. Later I saw flames come out of the left side of the plane. At the same time I saw one chute leave the aircraft and blessom out. Diving earthward the plane made a shallow turn to the left and hit in the center of a small town. The aircraft exploded immediately upon hitting the ground."
The plane received a direct hit from antiaircraft fire and crashed into a house at Muhlanger, 1 mile south east of Wittenberg. In December 1948 the wreckage could be located, however no trace could be found of the remains of the decaesed crew members. It is believed that their remains were totally destroyed by the ensuing fire since the plane and the house burned completely.
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.ancestry.com, www.fold3.com, IDPF of Dwight K. Booth
Photo source: J. Edward Ross - www.findagrave.com, Peter Schouteten, Scott Wilson