Robert Louis Adler

Military

Shot down 18 April 1944 in B-17 #42-37902 'Sure Thing', while performing his duties as the aircraft's Navigator. Became a Prisoner of War, surviving the war.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

The insignia of the 390th Bomb Group.
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18187769
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37544827
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Waist Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-741509
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37418829
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-804659
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Hell's Bells/Sure Stuff
  • Unit: 390th Bomb Group 568th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Chicago, Illinois, USA 28 September 1918

Enlisted

Chicago, Illinois, USA 11 April 1941 Enlisted as an Aviation Cadet with the serial number 36019397

Other

Shot down

Barnewitz, Germany 18 April 1944 Shot down over a mission to Oranienburg, Germany, while on B-17 42-37902, while serving as Navigator. Would later become a POW.

Other

Prisoner of War

Stalag III, Sagan, Poland 18 April 1944 Served his time as a POW at Stalag III.

Died

Creve Coeur, Missouri, USA 2 July 2012

Buried

9 July 2012

Based

Assigned to 568BS, 390BG, 8AF.

Revisions

Date
ContributorCastleBren
Changes
Sources

390th Bomb Group records

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C tail # in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 4013 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database