COMMENTS & NOTES
MEMO 1:
CREW
When this crew went down on 3/2/44, the crew list was as follows:
Feb 3, 1945 BERLIN MACR #12046, A/C#44 8379
Maj Robert Rosenthal Command Pilot Landed in Russian Lines
Capt John Ernst P POW
1st Lt Arthur I.Jacobson CP POW (from Crew of Lt. G. Brown)
1st Lt Stewart J. Gillison Command NAV EVA (from Crew of Lt W. Terminello)
1st Lt Louis C. Chappel NAV KIA (from Crew of Lt W.J. Wilson)
1st Lt Robert H. Stropp Radar NAV Landed in Russian Lines
1st Lt Eugene E. Lockhart BOM KIA (from the Crew of Lt Oren Hopkins)
T/Sgt Charles H. Webber ROG Landed in Russian Lines
T/Sgt Dugger C. West TTE POW
S/Sgt Warren Winters WG POW
S/Sgt G.A. Windisch TG Landed in Russian Lines
Ernst's leg amputated in German Hospital night of 3/2/45 & he was soon exchanged.
See "CONTRAILS" p.131 & S.O.C. p.95. Also p.219/223 of "FLYING FORTRESS" by E.Jablonski.
EYEWITNESS REPORT from MACR # "A/C #44 8379 was hit by flak,reported to be a ground
rocket a few seconds before bombs away. A/C continued on run and dropped bombs. Fire and
dense white smoke was seen in the fuselage and bomb bay, including the cockpit. Bomb bay
doors closed and then reopened. Pilot opened his window and peeled gently off to the
right, directing deputy leader to take over on VHF. A/C headed NE and flew level for a few
moments while six members bailed out (3 appeared to come from waist or tail and 3 from
bomb bay..There was a small explosion in #3 engine nacelle and thd A/C headed down, burning
and beginning to spin when last seen at 15/000 feet. Observers believe entire crew had an
excellent chance to bail out."
MEMO 2:
POW/KIA notes: May have not been a POW. Landed in Russian held territory.
Stropp is listed on the Ernst Casualty Report as the third extra crew mamber (RAD-NAV).
PHOTOS:
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Russian travel documentb |
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Article on Robert Stropp (courtesy of Robert Stropp) |
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Article on Robert Stropp (courtesy of Robert Stropp) |
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Article on Robert Stropp (courtesy of Robert Stropp) |
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Letter written to the Stropp family by Storm Rhode; page 1 (courtesy of Robert Stropp) |
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Letter written to the Stropp family by Storm Rhode; page 2 (courtesy of Robert Stropp) |
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Letter written to the Stropp family by Storm Rhode; page 3 (courtesy of Robert Stropp) |
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Robert Stropp's Russian Voucher booklet (courtesy of Robert Stropp) |
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Robert Stropp's Russian Voucher booklet (courtesy of Robert Stropp) |
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Robert H. Stropp, stateside training photo (courtesy of Robert Stropp) |
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Robert Stropp, post-war photo (courtesy of Robert Stropp) |
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Robert H. Stropp (courtesy of the Stropp family) |
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Lt. Robert H. Stropp (courtesy of Robert Stropp) |
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Robert Stropp in the nose of "Silver Dollar" (courtesy of Robert Stropp) |
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351st Squadron barracks (from the collection of Robert Stropp) |
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Ralph Baer, Gerald Brown, Tony Lentz, Robert Stropp and John Ernst (from the collection of Robert Stropp) |
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Robert Stropp with other officers holding a snowball (from the collection of Robert Stropp) |
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100th Bomb Group veterans at the US Air Force Academy (from the collection of Robert Stropp) |
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Robert Stropp visiting Thorpe Abbotts (from the collection of Robert Stropp) |
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Robert Stropp attending a wedding (from the collection of Robert Stropp) |
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Article on Robert Stropp (from the collection of Robert Stropp) |
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Letter written by Robert Rosenthal to the Stropp family (page 1) |
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Letter written by Robert Rosenthal to the Stropp family (page 2) |
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Letter written by Robert Rosenthal to the Stropp family (page 3) |
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351st airmen from left: Ralph Baer, Gerald Brown, Tony Lentz, Bud Stropp and John Ernst. (100th Photo Archives) |
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Robert Stropp Diary Page 1 |
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Robert Stropp Diary par 2? |
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Robert Stropp Diary page 3? |
SERVED IN:
- ERNST, John P. - P
- OLMSTED, James P. - CP
- PASSEN, Seymour G. - NAV
- STROPP, Robert H. - NAV
- DOUCETTE, Robert J. - BOM
- WEST, Duyger C. - TTE
- WEBBER, Charles H. - ROG
- BROOKS, Orrell J. - WG
- COVINO, Anthony A. - WG
- WINTERS, Warren - WG
- WINDISCH, George A. - TG