Robert L Clayton

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-13245.jpeg UPL 13245 Crew of B17 #42-31180 92nd Bombardment Group, 326th Bomb Squadron
Back Row, from left to right: Sgt Herman Rahn (radio), S/Sgt. Lewis Lilly (waist gunner), Sgt. Paul McDade (ball turret), M/Sgt. Nathan Grant (engineer), Sgt. Chester Zahaba (tail gunner), and Sgt. Samual Smith (waist gunner). Front row, left to right, Lt. Robert Clayton (pilot), Lt. Leon Cavender (co-pilot), Lt. John Gaibrath (navigator), Lt. Paul Alexander (bombardier).

Amended associations to reflect subjects depicted in photo

Object Number - UPL 13245 - Crew of B17 #42-31180 92nd Bombardment Group, 326th Bomb Squadron Back Row, from left to right: Sgt Herman Rahn (radio), S/Sgt. Lewis Lilly (waist...

Shot down by fighters and crashed near Furstenau, GR on a mission to Schweinfurt, GR on 24 Feb 1944 in B-17G 42-31180. Killed in Action (KIA).

Connections

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Units served with

The insignia of the 92nd Bomb Group.

92nd Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

42-31180

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Clayton Farm Admire, KS 17 April 1918

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Belgium 24 February 1944

Buried

Admire KS Cemetery 24 February 1949

Revisions

Date
Contributorjclayton
Changes
Sources

Information provided by John Robert Clayton, nephew of Robert L Clayton

Please note Robert Clayton was part of the 326th Bomb Squadron. The plane he was shot down in was from the 407th. I have a lot of information about his military career, including photos. Can I upload them ? The photo you have with him with King George VI was a surprise to me. He was based at Podington (very close to Chelveston) The photo, while a little dark, certainly was him. He arrived in England in November 1943. After being shot down, I understand a Dutch family hid his remains from the Germans and buried him there. His remains were moved and reinterred in the Admire KS Cemetery five years later.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 2854 / MACR 2854, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

Robert L Clayton: Gallery (3 items)

King George VI with Colonel Robert Walker and Squadron Leader Robert Clayton during a visit to the 301st Bomb Group at Chelveston. Image stamped on reverse: 'Unofficially Approved.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 16 Nov 1942.' [stamp] and '233684.' [censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'HM King George VI, with Col Robert Walker, Spokane, Wash, after a visit of HRH to US bomber command somewhere in Engl. Sq Leader Robert Clayton extreme right. Chelveston [obscured by censor], England.'

Object number: FRE 9802 - King George VI with Colonel Robert Walker and...

Object number: UPL 13245 - Crew of B17 #42-31180 92nd Bombardment Group...