Serviceman

Robert J. Watkins

840thHQAsst Radio Oper.

Play his story on the map built from his record

Army serial number: 15098296
Rank: T/Sgt (15 July 1944)
Hometown: Adrian, MI
In the book: Heroes of the 483rd, p. 14, 67, 249
Sources: heroes-book, macr-crew, morning-report

Flags. serial 15098286 in morning reports differs by one digit from 15098296; treated as the same man morning-report entries attached by surname+unit (serial 15098286); verify

Crews

Missions placed on him

mission 1, 12 April 1944 · Split · Listed with the Alpha A. Fowler, Jr. crew, which flew it per its history (p. 67); whether he was aboard that day is not recorded
mission 2, 13 April 1944 · Brod · Listed with the Victor P. Vlahovich crew, which flew it per its history (p. 249); whether he was aboard that day is not recorded
mission 7, 23 April 1944 · Wiener Neustadt · Listed with the Alpha A. Fowler, Jr. crew, which flew it per its history (p. 67); whether he was aboard that day is not recorded
mission 15, 10 May 1944 · Wiener Neustadt · Listed with the Alpha A. Fowler, Jr. crew, which flew it per its history (p. 67); whether he was aboard that day is not recorded
mission 29, 6 June 1944 · Galati · Listed with the Alpha A. Fowler, Jr. crew, which flew it per its history (p. 67); whether he was aboard that day is not recorded
mission 35, 23 June 1944 · Ploesti · The Alpha A. Fowler, Jr. crew's history names Ploesti: one of 2 missions there in its time (p. 67)
mission 48, 9 July 1944 · Ploesti · The Alpha A. Fowler, Jr. crew's history names Ploesti: one of 2 missions there in its time (p. 67)
mission 50, 15 July 1944 · Ploesti · Aboard, per the Missing Air Crew Report

A report lists him aboard, or his crew's history in Heroes of the 483rd dates the mission; the book is cited by page and not reproduced. The rest of his squadron's missions in his window are not placed on him by any document.

Aboard a lost aircraft

MACR 6955 · 42-102429 · 15 July 1944 · mission 50, 15 July 1944

Morning reports

1 entry, first 17 December 1943, last 17 December 1943. The clerk's sentence is quoted as the machine read it from microfilm: "fr dy to DS" is from duty to detached service, "sk in hosp" sick in hospital, "asgd & jd" assigned and joined.

1943-12-17 HQ: S/SgtH-20 Reld of dy & trfd to 488th Bomb Gp (H) this sta FLD o & CAPT 1ST LT

National Archives pages: roll 458053820 p. 297

Photographs naming him

B-17 42-102429 · view at 15thaf.org

These pictures stay on the sites that hold them and are shown here by link only, until their owners say they may be copied.

Statements, mentions and histories

Eyewitness statement, page 3 · 15 July 1944

1955
C
I
in
5. Engineer
Navarro, Charles P. /I/Sgt 19163057 Mary Novarro, wife,
606 E. Munroe St.,
Phoenix, Arizona.
6. Asst Engineer
Stewart, Leolass C. Cpl 39567415 Mrs. Doris Stewart,
wife, 811 Olympic Blvd,
Montebello, Calif.
7. Radio Operator
Fletcher, Bernard B.
I/Sgt
3746975
Clara M. Fletcher,
9
mother, 922 W 4th St.,
Grand Island, Nebraska.
8. Asst Radio Oper.
Watkins, Robert I.
T/Sgt 15098296
Thelma Watkins, mother,
RFD #1, Adrian, Mich.
9. Arnorer Gunner
Barton, Stephen H.
s/sst 31126614
Edward B. Barton, fathery
269 Lincoln Ave.,
Amherst, Massachusetts.
10. Asst Armorer Gunn. VanDeren, Alfred L. Jr. s/sgt 18162968 Vera Pauline VanDeren,
mother, 3501 McFaulin
Blvd, Dallas 5 Texas.
11. IDENTIFY BELOW THOSE PERSONS WHO ARE DELIEVED TO HAVE LAST KNO-VLEDGE or AIR-
CRAFT AND CHECK APPROPRIATE (cnly one) COLULN TO INDICATE BASIS FOR SAME:
Contacted Last
Saw
NALE IN FULL
RANK
SERIAL NO. by Radio Sighted Crash Forced Landing
1. Jack H. Leatherman 2nd Lt. 0807466
2. Louis E. Guerrina lst Lt. 0436450
X
3. Peter E. Mendoza
T/Sgt. 39265653
12. IF PERSONNEL ARE believed TO HAVE SURVIVED, CHECK ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
( ) Parachutes were used ( ) Persons seen walking away from scene of crash
() Any other reason (specify)
Unknown.
13. ATTACHI, AS IN INCLOSURE TO THIS REPORT, EITHER AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH, MAP, CHART,
OR SKETCH, SHOWING APPROXIMATE LOCATION WHERE WAS LAST SEEN.
14. ATTACH, AS INCLOSURES TO THIS REPORT, EYEWITNESS DESCRIPTIONS OF CRASH,
FORCED LANDING, OR OTHER CIRCURISTANCES PERTAINING TO MISSING AIRCRAFT. Attached.
15. ATTACH, AS AN INCLOSURE TO THIS REPORT, A DESCRIPTION OF THE EXTENT OF
SEARCH, IF ANY, AND GIVE NAME, RANK, AND SERIAL NUMBER OF OFFICER IN
CHARGE HERE: (If no search, so state giving reason) Air Sea Rescue conducted
search but to no avail.
DATE OF THIS REPORT: 17 July 1944.
WLL Shin
W. L. LINN,
Kajor, Air Corps,
4
Incls:
Operations Officer.
Incl 1 - Overlay
Incl 2 - Statement of Lt. Leathernan
Incl 3 - Statement of Lt. Guerrina
Incl 4 - Statement of T/Srt. Mendoza
n
- 2 -
32

National Archives, MACR 6955, page 3 · Machine-read from microfilm, uncorrected.

3 more statements from MACR 6955 are on the loss record.

Know something about him?

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