Maj
Robert Eugene FLESHER
Robert E. Flesher
Robert E. Flesher - Shown here as the Commanding Officer of the 418th. (100th Photo Archives)
Hometown During Time of Service: Omaha, NE
Assigned to the 100th Bombardment Group
Location:
Unit: 418th Bombardment Squadron
Rank:
Position: Command Pilot Position
Beginning Date of 100th Service: Unknown
Time of Service at Thorpe Abbotts: Unknown - Unknown
Additional 100th Service Notes
Status: NOC
Comments: COMMANDING OFFICER of 418TH SQUADRON
Biography
Born November 6, 1917
Died postwar on August 15, 1975
Robert is buried Woodlawn Memorial Park in Orlando, Florida
Media Articles
Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.
| Media Item | Type | Page | Volume/Issue | Broadcast Source | Time | Description | File |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Flesher training | Omaha World Herald December 25 1939 | 12:00 am | |||||
| Robert Flesher Officers Reserve | The North Platte Telegraph July 2 1940 | 12:00 am |
Additional Military Documents
Robert E. Flesher
Headstone application
Comments and Notes
Memo 1:
CREW
On October 29, 1942, then Captain Robert E. Flesher was made Squadron CO for the 418th Bomb Squadron. In early June 1943, Major Flesher flew overseas with the personnel listed below:
Crew # A 5 Aircraft #42 5863 "Paddlefoot's Proxy"
Major Robert E. Flesher Pilot (418th Squadron C.O.)
Capt Albert M. Elton Pilot Completed Tour (Replaced Buck Cleven as 350th BS C.O.)
T/Sgt Loyd C. Cresap Bomb Sight Maint.
M/Sgt Gene A. VanGemert Line Chief
M/Sgt William R. Shultz Flight Chief
M/Sgt Joseph E. Hafer Radio POW 10 October 1943 Munster
S/Sgt Rex F. Creitz Bomb Sight Maint.
W/O Ralph L. DeLong Grouup S l
2nd Lt Jack C. Boyd Co- Pilot KiA 3 Sept. 1943 Beaumont le Roqer AF ATC Navigator
In June 1943, three days after the arrival of the air echelon, Group Commander Colonel Howard Turner was replaced by Colonel Harold Huglin. Before leaving for First Wing, Turner recommended Major Egan be relieved as air executive (operations officer) and appointed C.O. of the 418th and Capt. Robert Flesher (believe a Major at this point) be moved from the 418th to Air Exec. See Bowman Diary entry for June 14, 1943 for more info on all the personnel changes made that day by Col Huglin.
Missions of Major Robert E. Flesher:
DATE MISSION A/C# & NAME POSITION
1. 25/07/43 BREMEN 230087 SHACKRAT COM P WITH LT. JACK SWARTOUT
2. 10/07/43 LeBOURGET 230061 JUST-A-SNAPPIN COM P WITH LT. EV BLAKELY
3. 17/07/43 HAMBURG 230047 SWEATER GIRL COM P WITH LT. MARK CARNELL
4. 25/07/43 KIEL 230089 SUNNY COM P WITH LT. GLENN DYE
5. 23/09/43 VANNES
6. 29/11/43 BREMEN COM P LEAD 3RD AIR DIVISION
Somewhere around October/November 1943, Maj Flesher was promoted to Lt Colonel Flesher. After the November 11, 1943 mission to Bremen we have very little information on Col Flesher. Anyone with further info on Maj Flesher is encourage to contact us.
340 Weapons Squadron
Lineage
Constituted 340 Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 3 Feb 1942. Redesignated 340 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 6 Mar 1944. Inactivated on 29 Oct 1945. Redesignated 340 Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy on 15 Jul 1946. Activated on 4 Aug 1946. Redesignated: 340 Bombardment Squadron, Medium on 28 May 1948; 340 Bombardment Squadron, Heavy on 1 Oct 1959; 340 Bomb Squadron on 1 Sep 1991. Inactivated on 7 Jan 1992. Redesignated 340 Weapons Squadron on 24 Jan 2003. Activated on 3 Feb 2003.
Assignments
97 Bombardment Group, 3 Feb 1942-29 Oct 1945. 97 Bombardment Group, 4 Aug 1946; 97 Bombardment Wing, attached 10 Feb 1952, assigned 16 Jun 1952; 97 Operations Group, 1 Sep 1991-7 Jan 1992. USAF Weapons School, 3 Feb 2003-.
Stations
MacDill Field, FL, 3 Feb 1942; Sarasota, FL, 29 Mar-16 May 1942; Polebrook, England, 11 Jun-10 Nov 1942; Maison Blanche, Algeria, c. 13 Nov 1942; Tafaraoui, Algeria, c. 22 Nov 1942; Bizkra, Algeria, 26 Dec 1942; Chateaudun-du-Rhumel, Algeria, 8 Feb 1943; Pont-du-Fahs, Tunisia, 12 Aug 1943; Depienne, Tunisia, 14 Aug 1943; Carignola, Italy, c. 14 Dec 1943; Amendola, Italy, 17 Jan 1944; Marcianise, Italy, c. Oct-29 Oct 1945. Smoky Hill AAFld, KS, 4 Aug 1946 (deployed at Mile 26 Airfield [later, Eielson AFB], AK,
Commanders
Unkn, 3 Feb-28 Mar 1942; Maj Paul W. Tibbets, 29 Mar 1942; Maj Robert E. Coulter, 9 Sep 1942; Maj C. David Hoffman, 2 Feb 1943; Lt Col Frank Allen, c. Sep 1943; Maj James C. Hamilton, 20 Nov 1943; Maj John R. Delapp, 8 May 1944; Capt Rush R. Spradley, 1 Jun 1944; Maj Robert E. Shafer, 17 Jun 1944; Capt Kenneth W. Whitehorn, by Jun-29 Oct 1945. Lt Col Robert E. Flesher, 17 Sep 1946-Nov 5, 1946
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November 14, 1943 - Station Life Report
From this Station, Lt. Col. Robert Flesher, Air Executive, went to the reception of the Royal family along with representatives from other units of the American Armed Forces stationed in this theater. Col. Flesher was presented to the King, the Queen, and the Princesses and at reception had ample opportunity to chat with everyone. On the return, the Col. was most unselfish about letting one and all shake the hand that shook the hand.
