S/Sgt
Ray H. ROBINSON
Army Serial Number: 37225718
Assigned to the 100th Bombardment Group
Location:
Unit: 418th Bombardment Squadron
Rank:
Position: Ball Turret Gunner
Beginning Date of 100th Service: Unknown
Time of Service at Thorpe Abbotts: Unknown - Unknown
Additional 100th Service Notes
Status: CPT
Comments: 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER (ROYAL FLUSH)
Comments and Notes
Memo 1:
CREW:
LT ROBERT "ROSIE" ROSENTHAL P LEGENDARY 100TH AIRMAN WHO FLEW 52 MISSIONS (SEE NOTES BELOW)
LT WINIFRED LEWIS CP CPT MARCH 8, 1944 BERLIN DFC w/OLC
LT RONALD C. BAILEY NAV CPT MARCH 8, 1944 BERLIN DFC w/OLC
LT CLIFFORD MILBURN BOM CPT MARCH 8, 1944 BERLIN DFC w/OLC
SGT MICHAEL BOCCUZZI ROG CPT MARCH 8, 1944 BERLIN DFC w/OLC
SGT CLARENCE C. HALL TTE CPT MARCH 8, 1944 BERLIN DFC w/OLC
SGT RAY H. ROBINSON BTG CPT MARCH 8, 1944 BERLIN DFC w/OLC (shot down FW190)
SGT LOREN DARLING WG SWA 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER Purple Heart
SGT JOHN H. SHAFFER WG SWA 10 0CT 43 MUNSTER (RETURNED TO STATES) Awarded Silver Star & Purple Heart
SGT WILLIAM DeBLASIO TG CPT MARCH 8, 1944 BERLIN * DFC w/OLC ( SEE NOTE ABOUT MUNSTER MISSION)
Crew arrived 100th Bomb Group September 28, 1943. 418TH SQDN, CREW FLEW ROSIE'S RIVETERS
SGT'S JAMES F. MACK AND M.J. SHELDON REPLACED DARLING AND SCHAFFER.
Lt Col Robert "Rosie" Rosenthal Timeline:
Jan 2 1942- Sept 6, 1942 AAFFS (Army Air Force Flight School)
Aviation Cadet: Pre-Flight, (Maxwell Field, Alabama-)
Pilot Training in PT-17-60 hours ( Primary Flying School, Douglas, Georgia 3/42-5/42)
Pilot Training in BT-13-71 hours (BFS-Basic Flying School-Shaw Field, South Carolina-5/42-7/42)
Pilot Training in AT-6-9,17,71 hours (AFS-Advanced Flying School, Moody Field Georgia-7/42-9/42)
Sept 6,1942-Feb 1, 1943 AAB Ft Meyers (Army Air Force Base Fort Meyers Florida)
Pilot AT-6 Gunnery Instructor
Feb 1, 1943-May 1, 1943 AAB Sebring (Army Air Force Base Sebring, Florida)
Student Officer- Transition Training in B-17, 140 hours
May 1, 1943-Jun 1, 1943 19th Bomb Group (H) Pyote, Texas
Pilot B-17 Combat Training 80 hours
Jun 1, 1943-Aug 15, 1943 19th Bomb Group (H) Dyersburg, Tenn
Pilot B-17 Combat Training 160 hours
Aug 15, 1943-Sept 15, 1943 Enroute ETOUSAAF (European Theater of Operations, United States Army Air Force)
Pilot B-17-Enroute ETO via Aircraft. Departed US 1 Sept 1943, arrived ETO 6 Sept 43
Sept 15, 1943-Mar 5, 1943 418th BS, 100th BG (H) ETOUSAAF (8AF) [European Theater of Operations, United States Army Air Force
Pilot B-17-300 hours-Flight Commander (1st Pilot), 25 c/m (combat missions) 240 c/hours (combat hours).
15 Squadron Leads, 5 Element,Leads and 5 Wing Leads.
Mar 5, 1944-May 24, 1944 HQ 100th BG (H) ETOUSAAF (8AF)
Assistant Group Operations Officer (Lt Col Jack Kidd-Operations Officer). Pilot B-17, Air Leader 5 c/m (combat
missions, 45 c/hrs (combat hours), 5 Group Leads, Acting Command Pilot
May 24, 1944-Sept 11, 1944 350th BS, 100th BG (H) ETOUSAAF (8AF)
Squadron Commander, 190 hours, B-17 Air Leader, 17 c/m (combat missions) 120 c/hrs (combat hours),
5 Group Leads, Acting Command 5 Wing Leads Pilot
Sept 11, 1944-Nov 1, 1944 Hospitalized at 91st General Hospital due to injuries sustained on Sept 10, 1944 mission to Nurnburg with
Rosenthal as Command Pilot, crash landed in France and sustained a broken arm; internal injuries
LEAD CREW SEPTEMBER 10, 1944, NURNBURG PFF A/C 42-97770
MAJOR ROBERT "ROSIE" ROSENTHAL COMMAND PILOT
1ST LT WILLIAM F. TERMINELLO, JR PILOT
1ST LT MELVIN KODAS FORMATION OFFICER/TAIL GUNNER
2ND LT STEWART J. GILLSON NAVIGATOR
CAPT. WOODROW W. MCGILL COMMAND NAVIGATOR
LT GREGORY MADDOX RADAR OPERATOR
2ND LT FRANK RUBICK BOMBARDIER
S/SGT RUSSELL L. HEGER TOP TURRET ENGINEER
S/SGT LOUIS QUIJADA RADIO OPERATOR GUNNER
SGT THOMAS A. PALMER WAIST GUNNER
SGT GEORGE J. HARTOS WAIST GUNNER
Nov 1, 1944-Dec 1, 1944 HQ 13th Combat Wing, ETOUSAAF (8AF)
Combat Wing Training Officer. In charge of all Wing training programs
Dec 1, 1944-Feb 3, 1944 418th BS, 100th BG (H) ETOUSAAF (8AF)
Squadron Commander, 55 hours, B-17 Air Leader 5 c/m (combat missions) 45 c/hrs (combat hours)
1 Division Lead (Berlin Feb 3, 1945, shot down, picked up by Russians and returned to England)
Acting Command 4 Wing Leads, Pilot
Feb 3, 1945 BERLIN MACR #12046, A/C#44 8379
(Rosenthal bailed out with this crew. Rescued by Russians - toured Moscow.) Feb 3, 1945 Target: BERLIN
Again attempts to return to Flight Operations - 100th Commander refused - Rosie had to quit flying combat at 52 missions
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
Mar 28, 1945-May 28, 1945 HQ 100th BG (H) ETOUSAAF (8AF)
Group Training Officer. Set up policies for training of new crews, very little operational duty.
May 28, 1945-Jun 7, 1945 Returnee-Returned to USA via aircraft and arrived on Jun 7, 1945, leave, processing, and reassignment
Nov 30, 1945 Honorably Discharged
RANK:
Sept 6, 1942- Commissioned Aviation Cadet to 2nd Lieutenant 0-792349
Sept 7, 1943- Temp promotion 2nd Lieutenant to 1st Lieutenant 0-792349
Feb.11, 1944- Temp promotion 1st Lieutenant to Captain-0792349
July 16, 1944- Temp promotion from Captain to Major-0-792349
Mar 21, 1945- Temp promotion from Major to Lt Colonel-0-792349
CO OF THE 350TH BS FROM LATE MAY 1944 TO SEPT 10, 1944.
CO OF THE 418TH BS FROM ? TO FEB 3, 1945.
Awards:
Distinguished Service Cross (for Feb 3, 1945 Berlin Mission)
Sliver Star (Munster, Oct 10, 1943) with Cluster (Oct 3, 1943-Sept 10, 1944),
Distinguished Flying Cross ( Completion of 25 missions March 8, 1944-Berlin) with Cluster( July 12, 1944 Munich/Aug 5, 1944 Magdeburg )
Purple Heart with cluster ( Sept 10, 1944 Nurnburg and Feb 3, 1945 Berlin-broke the same arm on both occasions)
Air Medal with 7 Oak Leaf Clusters clusters
Distinguished Flying Cross (British)
Croix de Guerre (French).
ETO Ribbon with 4 Battle Stars (Air Offensive Europe, Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland)
Presidential Unit Citation
Authorized to wear 3 overseas service bars (each bar represents 6 months of overseas service, Rosie served 21 months overseas)
LIST OF LT ROBERT ROSENTHAL first 25 missions (mpf 2001 from Maj Rosenthal himself)
1. 08/10/43 BREMEN
2. 09/10/43 MARIENBURG
3. 10/10/43 MUNSTER
4. 03/11/43 WILHELMSHAVEN
5. 07/11/43 DUREN
6. 13/11/43 BREMEN
7. 26/11/43 PARIS/BREMEN
8. 29/11/43 BREMEN
9. 30/11/43 SOLINGEN
10. 05/12/43 BORDEAUX
11. 24/12/43 NO-BALL
12. 31/12/43 PARIS
13. 21/01/44 NO-BALL
14. 30/01/44 BRUNSWICK
15. 03/02/44 WILHELMSHAVEN
16. 04/02/44 FRANKFURT
17. 05/02/44 VILLACOUBLAY
18. 10/02/44 BRUNSWICK
19. 20/02/44 SETTIN & POSEN
20. 21/02/44 ALHORN
21. 24/02/44 ROSTOCK
22. 25/02/44 REGENSBURG
23. 03/03/44 BERLIN
24. 04/03/44 BERLIN
25. 08/03/44 BERLIN
FINISHED TOUR WITH CREW
*Letter sent to Robert “Rosie” Rosenthal on March 17, 2001 by Bill DeBlasio, tail gunner on Rosie’s Crew with his recollections of the MUNSTER mission October 10, 1943.
Rosie,
I did the best I could considering this fading memory of mine. Some parts of this mission stand out very clear to me, others such as where we were in the formation draw a blank. I haven’t had a “flash back” for about 7 years now, maybe they are behind me. I certainly hope so. They are a truly miserable 24 hours. I’ll close for now; I hope this is what you want. My Family has been trying for years to get me to write about this. I simply didn’t feel I could do it.
Bill
We arrived in England in September 1943 and were soon sent to the 100th Bomb Group, which was located near a small town named “Diss”. We flew our 1st mission to Bremen, our second to Marienburg, our third to Munster on the 8th, 9th, and 10th of October 1943. The 100th Bomb GP launched 13 aircraft this day and I do not recall what position in the group formation we were assigned. As yet, we were not assigned our own aircraft. Therefore we flew the one assigned to us; Royal Flush. If my memory serves me correctly, the briefing officer stated we were to bomb as much of the center of the city as possible. The theory behind this was; if the civilians were killed who would man the equipment to help fight the war. Seemed sound at the time.
Air Battle
The Group as a whole ran into considerable flak but the fighters were much more of a threat by far then the flak. It has been said in numerous books that the Munster Mission was one of the hardest fought battles for both sides of the entire war and I for one am inclined to agree! Twelve of the Groups aircraft were shot down either before bombs away or shortly thereafter, leaving the Royal Flush all by herself. I believe at one time we tried to attach our selves to the 95th Bomb GP for protection, however this did not last for long. Flak had knocked out one of the left engines as well as one on the right wing making it impossible to keep up with any formation.
Once we were completely alone the fighters really started their attacks. I think at this time I should say what follows are through the tail gunners eyes as I was far to busy to look around. The fighters were very well coordinated and were coming in waves of four abreast. There were not firing until approximately 800 yards and neither was I. I lined up on the number two man form my left and fired three short bursts. His left wing flew off over his plane and crashed into the plane to the outside. Both went down on fire. I then switched to their inside plane on the right and fired at him. Smoke started coming from the plane and the canopy came off, the plane rolled over ejecting the pilot. I couldn’t follow his plight as I had one more plane to deal with. Just as I brought my sights to bear on him, he peeled off to his left (my right).
There was a period of about 4 or 5 minutes respite then they started again. I believe we may have been about 15 thousand feet as two Ju-88’s joined the fray, with two engines out there was no way we could maintain high altitude. Again there were 4 FW 190’s, only this time they were staggered more or less one behind the other, not in a straight line as were the first bunch. This time however the two Ju-88’s were on each end of the4 fighters making six aircraft lined up on us. For some unknown reason, I decided to try for the bigger aircraft first. I thought I noticed something hanging from the bottom of their aircraft. About that time, here come the rockets. A total of 8 rockets come at us in about 1 minute of time, all missed. It dawned on me that what I saw beneath the aircraft were their flaps. They needed to lower their flaps to give them a more stable platform for their rockets.
I started firing at the Ju-88 on the left and soon he was on fire and sliding off on his right wing. The other aircraft had closed too within 600 yds and I just started raking my fire from left to right and back again. During this exchange two of the FW-190’s in the center crashed into each other, as I believe I hit them both at the same time. So we have a total of six planes shot down and we don’t know how many, if any, were damaged. About this time I believe you ordered me to fire off my remaining ammo and come out of the tail position. At this time we were below 10,000 ft and did not know if we were going to ditch or not. We began throwing anything that wasn’t nailed down out to lighten the aircraft. We were successful and didn’t ditch.
After searching in bad weather conditions for our field, we finally found it and landed safely. I remember sitting on the grass and vomiting for what seemed like an eternity. I was asked to secure my guns, which I did. I do not recall whether any of us put in claims for downed aircraft, as this was superficial compared to losing the entire Group except on plane. Besides, it wouldn’t have done any good as we all knew any aircraft shot down had to be verified by at least one or two aircraft other than your own. I remember your going in the ambulance with John Shaffer (waist gunner). A few days later we were sent to the flak house for R&R. What an absolutely lovely house and grounds and the locals could not have done more to make our stay more pleasant
(Bill DeBlasio gave me a copy of this letter to Rosie and asked me that his account of the Munster mission not be posted while he was still with us. Bill left us 8/12/2001, not long after sharing these memories. He was a humble man, not searching for medals or recognition but wanted his Family to know what hell he had seen from his tail gun position. He was simply doing his job that day protecting his fellow crewmembers and aircraft from the onslaught of German fighters. He did that job above and beyond the call of duty. I thought it only appropriate that 60 years after that mission, his story be told. The nightmares are now over for Bill, and we wish him eternal rest and our sincere gratitude….Michael Faley-100th Bomb Group Photo Archives and Historian)
************************************************************************************************************
MISSIONS OF SGT JAMES F. MACK (MPF 2002)
1. 03/11/43 WILHELMSHAVEN
2. 07/11/43 DUREN
3. 13/11/43 BREMEN
4. 26/11/43 PARIS/BREMEN
5. 29/11/43 BREMEN
6. 30/11/43 SOLINGEN
7. 05/12/43 BORDEAUX
8. 24/12/45 NO-BALL
9. 31/12/43 PARIS
10. 21/01/44 NO-BALL
11. 30/01/44 BRUNSWICK
12. 03/02/44 WILHELMSHAVEN
13. 04/02/44 FRANKFURT
14. 05/02/44 VILLACOUBLAY/PARIS
15. 10/02/44 BRUNSWICK
16. 20/02/44 SETTIN & POSEN
17. 21/02/44 BRUNSWICK/ALHORN
18. 24/02/44 ROSTOCK
19. 25/02/44 REGENSBURG
20. 03/03/44 BERLIN
21. 04/03/44 BERLIN
22. 08/03/44 BERLIN (ROSIES CREW FINISHES)
23. 22/03/44 BERLIN (FLEW WITH LT FERBRACHE)
24. 01/04/44 LUDWIGSHAVEN (RECALLED, FLEW WITH LT CHUCK HARRIS)
25. 08/04/44 QUACKENBRUCK, AF (FLEW WITH LT CHUCK HARRIS)
09/04/44 POSEN & MARIENBURG (RECALLED, FLEW WITH LT C. HARRIS)
26. 19/04/44 LIPPSTADT & WERL AF (FLEW WITH LT FORSYTHE CREW)
27. 20/04/44 MARQUENVILLE
Diary of S/Sgt. Jim Mack, sn# 17155954 (mpf 2002)
Date of Induction: November 10, 1942
Serial Number of Revolver: 567215
May 30, 1943 Left U.S. from New Yourk on Queen Mary. Very confussing and very dissappointed because I had no Furlough
the boat was very crowded. 22,000 men on board
June 4, 1943 Queen Mary docked at Fytle of Clyde, 18 Miles from Glasgow, Scottland.
June 6, 1943 Arrived at 13th RCD in Northern England along with 85 more gunners, we were all sent to different bomb groups
eventually.
July 16, 1943 Arrived at 100th Bomb Group with 15 other Gunners.
Oct. 10, 1943 MUNSTER!!! Rosies Riveters return alone. Luck was really with them. Every other ship was shot down.
Nov 3, 1943 Wilhelmshaven, Ger. 6:55 to 12:55. Heavy flak. First mission since Munster. Plenty scared
Nov 7, 1943 Duren, Germany, Little Flak , 48 degrees below zero
Nov 12, 1943 Practice Mission over North Atlantic
Nov 13, 1943 Bremen, Got this book today, just got back from mission to Bremen. Group behing us caught hell from fighters
flak very heavy and accurate.
Nov 26, 1943 Paris, France. Very little flak, clouds over target.
Nov 29, 1943 Bremen, Ger. (second time) 7:45am-4:47pm. No ships lost.
Nov 30, 1943 Solingen, Ger. 8:15am-2:30pm -60 degrees. Oxygen system froze. Mike and Junior passed out.
Dec 5, 1943 Bordeaux, France. 10 hrs in the air.
Dec 24, 1943 NO-BALL flew a new ship (504). Bombed the secret coast (rocket planes)
Dec 31, 1943 Paris, France Ship hit with flak, bombed airfield
Jan 21, 1944 NO-BALL Rocket coast again 12:05-15:10. heavy flak, hit four times. We got prepared for crash landing
came in O.K. thank god.
Jan 30, 1944 Brunswick, Ger. Bombed through clouds 4:30am-3:00pm
Feb 3, 1944 Wilhelmshaven, Ger. Accurate flak. We did violent evasive action 7:35am-2:30pm
Feb 4, 1944 Frankfurt, Ger. 8:05am-3:45pm We had flak from the coast into target. Very nerve wracking.
Crossed Ruhr Valley, 3 holes in ship. 2 ships fell out of formation and were shot down by FW 190's.
Feb 5, 1944 Paris, France Airport, hit the target
Feb 10, 1944 Brunswick, Ger. 6:45-4:10. Heavy Fighter oppostion 30 FW's, 20 JU88's 2 Forts blew up when hit.
Saw 15 forts go down.
Feb 20, 1944 Stettin & Posen (no note)
Feb 21, 1944 Brunswick & Alhorn Ger. 9:35-3:30. Good fighter support. Lost a fort over Holland.
Feb 24, 1944 Rostock, Aircraft factory in Poland 8:00-7:30. very tired when I got back. Attacked by 6 Ju88's
Feb 25, 1944 Regensburg, Ger. 8:15-6:15 demolished target (aircraft factory) saw the Alps & Danube River.
(pretty country) lost 3 forts, 12 F.W.
Feb 26, 1944 Notre: of the 15 gunners that came to the 100th BG only 3 of us are left. Charles Mabey(finished up),
Bill McClelland(wounded)and Me still hanging around. Of the 85 of us to come over, there is now 15 left.
6 have finished. I'm still sweating them out. 7 more missions left to make.
Mar 3, 1944 Target: BERLIN when I saw the target on the map my morale hit a new low. We were called back
when within 40 miles of Berlin. 2 forts collided & blew up at 27,000 feet.
Mar 4, 1944 BERLIN again. I really sweat this one out. We were recalled when we got over France (whew)
Mar 8, 1944 BERLIN, 11hrs in the air. This time we made it. Flak terrible, the fighters hit us after we left
Holland. It was a very rough trip, our ship shot down 3 fighters that were making an attack. It
was the last mission for my Crew and when we landed there was much rejoicing. We "Buzzed"
the field twice at tree top level.
Memo 2:
Per Par VI, same general order, the following Oak Leaf Clusters for Air Medals are given:
Ray H. Robinson - 37225718, Staff Sergeant, AAF, USA, For meritorious achievement while serving as a ball Turret Gunner of a B-17 airplane on a bombing mission over Germany, 10 October 1943. During a determined attack by enemy fighters his oxygen supply line was severed. Though suffering from lack of oxygen, Sgt Robinson remained at his guns and skillfully assisted in defending his damaged aircraft. In a lull he brought back a supply of ammunition and emergency oxygen. His courage, coolness and skill on this occasion reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the US. Robinson entered service from Arkansas.
Photos
Crew List
1st Crew List
Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.
| Rank | Name | Pos | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lt Col | ROSENTHAL, Robert | P | CPT |
| LT | LEWIS, Winifred T. | CP | CPT |
| Lt | BAILEY, Ronald C. | NAV | CPT |
| Lt | MILBURN, Clifford J. | BOM | CPT |
| T/Sgt | HALL, Clarence C. | TTE | CPT |
| T/Sgt | BOCCUZZI, Michael V. | ROG | CPT |
| S/Sgt | ROBINSON, Ray H. | BTG | CPT |
| S/Sgt | DARLING, Loren F. | WG | WIA |
| Sgt | MACK, James | WG | CPT |
| S/Sgt | SHAFFER, John H. | WG | WIA |
| S/SGT | SHELDON, Marion J. | WG | CPT |
| S/Sgt | DeBLASIO, William | TG | CPT |
