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Personnel

Lt

Robert Elbert SPEAS

Hometown During Time of Service: Rochester, NY
Army Serial Number: O-680746
Assigned to the 100th Bombardment Group
Location:
Unit: 350th Bombardment Squadron
Rank:
Position: Copilot
Beginning Date of 100th Service: Unknown
Time of Service at Thorpe Abbotts: Unknown - Unknown

Additional 100th Service Notes

Status: KIA
MACR: 00951
CR: 00951
Comments: 8 OCT 43 BREMEN (FLAK - EXP)

Biography

Born May 2, 1917
Birthplace: Hutchinson, Kansas

Media Articles

Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.

Media ItemTypePageVolume/IssueBroadcast SourceTimeDescriptionFile
Robert Speas killed Oct 8PrintDemocrat and Chronicle Nov 30 194312:00 am
Robert Speas posthumous award to singerPrintDemocrat and Chronicle Jan 23 194412:00 am

Additional Military Documents

Comments and Notes

Memo 1:
CREW

2ND LT HERBERT G. NASH, JR P KIA 08 OCT 43 BREMEN
2ND LT ROBERT E. SPEAS CP KIA " " " "
2ND LT JOHN P. HART NAV POW " " " "
2ND LT VERNON N. HOGSETT BOM POW " " " "
S/SGT THOMAS B. DILTS ROG KIA " " " "
S/SGT PATRICK J. NEILON TTE KIA " " " "
SGT THADDEUS L. KIRKPATRICK BTG POW " " " " TAPS: 1979
SGT STANLEY NOWAKOWSKI WG POW " " " "
SGT GEORGE D. SNYDER WG POW " " " "
S/SGT JOW BOST TG KIA " " " "

350TH SQDN.. THIS WAS THE THIRD (3) MISSION FOR THIS CREW; THEIR FIRST WAS TO PARIS
01 OCT 1943 AND THEIR SECOND WAS EMDEN ON 02 OCT 43.

Hogsett (Lt Vernon N. Hogsett) stated after the war, "The engineer (S/Sgt Patrick J. Neilon) and I landed a small pond in a farmyard. With the assistance of German civilians I got Neilon to shore. He complained greatly of back injury, which I believe was caused when bailing out of the plane. There was no external injuries. I pleaded with the Germans to bring a doctor, but I do not believe they understood me. Sgt Neilon lost consciousness immediately and I firmly believe he died before the German Officer in charge took me away with the rest of the crew members.

The disabled plane had gone into a uncontrollable dive and apparently Nash, Speas, Dilts and Bost were unable to get out. The plane broke up near the tail wheel and Kirkpatrick actually fell from the ship at that time.

Hogsett, after his capture, was taken to the site of the crash and indentified the bodies of Nash, Speas, Dilts, and Bost which had been thrown clear of the wreckage.

German records show burial of the five dead at the cemetary of "Hoya/Weser in graves #34, 35, 36, 37 and 38.

KIA / MIA / EVA / INT Information:

Target:
Bremen
Aircraft:
(42-30840)
Date:
1943-10-08
Cause:
FLAK - Explosion

Burial Information:

Plot:
D
Grave:
19
Row:
19
Cemetery:
Ardennes, Neuville-en-Cond, Belgium

Photos

Robert E. Speas 350th CP

Robert E. Speas 350th CP New York KIA 8 Oct 43 Bremen Herbert G. Nash, Jr. Crew (100th Photo Archives)

Crew List

1st Crew List

Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.

Rank Name Pos Status
Lt NASH, Herbert P KIA
Lt SPEAS, Robert CP KIA
Lt HART, John P. NAV POW
Lt HOGSETT, Vernon N. BOM POW
S/SGT NEILON, Patrick J. TTE KIA
T/Sgt DILTS, Thomas B. ROG KIA
SGT KIRKPATRICK, Thaddeus L. BTG POW
Sgt NOWAKOWSKI, Stanley WG POW
SGT SNYDER, George D. WG POW
T/Sgt BOST, Joe TG KIA