Robert John Rooney
Military
Major Robert J. Rooney (P), SSGT Herbert M. McCleary (G), SSGT Sebastian F. DiNapoli (G)
416th BG - 670th BS - 9th AF
Object Number - UPL 48173 - Left to Right: Major Robert J. Rooney (P), SSGT Herbert M. McCleary (G), SSGT Sebastian F. DiNapoli (G) 416th BG - 670th BS - 9th AF
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 32202754
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Aerial Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37437141
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Aerial Gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Nicknames: Snooks
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 668th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-26 Invader
- Nicknames: Maryland Mary
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Melun, Alsace
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
15 June 1921 | ||
|
Other Wounded In Action/Crash Landed |
RAF Ford, UK | 18 July 1944 | Lt Rooney was piloting his plane on a "window mission" on this attack, and was about ten minutes over France when a burst of flak made the right engine useless. A second burst damaged the interphone and the hydraulic lines. A third burst riddled the aircraft and with the interphone out of commission, lip reading was resorted to by the two gunners, S/Sgts McCleary and DiNapoli, which led to the knowledge that Sgt McCleary was badly injured. Sgt DiNapoli ripped McCleary's suit with a knife and applied a tourniquet and gave the injured gunner a needle of morphine to ease the pain. Lt Rooney was wounded in the back, and had severe pains in the abdomen, and fearing his gunners would not be able to get out due to possible wounds since the ship was so riddled, he turned his plane back, salvoed his bombs over a wooded area in France, and made for an emergency landing field in England. Coming into Ford, Sussex, landing field, a taking off Spitfire was heading right for them, and, raising his wheels just in time, the Polish pilot of the fighter just cleared the incoming ship of Lt Rooney. There was no hydraulic pressure left, and only one wheel dangled, but with no support, so Lt Rooney made a belly landing. The ship was a total wreck. Due to the severity of his wounds Lt Rooney was unable to get out of the plane and had to be extracted by the ground crews of the field. Both he and Sgt McCleary were rushed to the hospital there. A very bad compound fracture of the arm resulted in the transfer of Sgt McCleary to a hospital unit for removal back to the United States for recuperation. |
|
Died |
4 miles NW of Neerpelt, Belgium | 21 March 1945 | That afternoon another mission took off and bombed the Vreden Road Junction and communication center with excellent results. Fourteen of our crews took part. Captain Rooney was leading his flight homeward into the setting sun at about 12,000 feet, when another flight leader, who was also flying into the sun, collided with him. Apparently Captain Rooney tried to get his airplane under control in an attempt to save his crew, but it went into a spin and crashed near Peers, Belgium. All personnel in both airplanes were killed instantly when the aircraft crashed into the ground, with the exception of 1st Lt Robert L. Kirk, Caption Rooney's bombardier-navigator, who successfully parachuted to the ground. Captain Chester C. Slaughter of the 29th Inf Div, who was riding as an observer with Capt Rooney, and Sgt Robert J. Kamischke, the gunner, were killed. Three officers and one enlisted man in the other airplane were also killed. This was Captain Rooney's 65th mission and constituted his tour of combat duty. |
|
Buried |
New Orleans, LA | Greenwood Cemetery New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, USA Plot 6 Cherry Aloe Orange |
Revisions
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