Robert W Horton
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Richard Dieterle, from Find a Grave > Robert W Horton
Object Number - UPL 37737 - Lt. Robert Horton.
Lt. Robert Horton was Killed in Action (KIA) while on TDY to the 9th AF during Operation Tidal wave, the bombing mission to the Ploesti, Romania, oil refineries, flying the B-24D, 42-40735, named, Sand-Witch.
Jack Dieterle's account of Lt. Horton's crash : "I saw Lieutenant Horton just after he had passed over his target [at Campina] and dropped his bombs. His ship caught fire from one of the explosions, and it looked to me as though he was going to try and crash land beyond the town [Bobolia]. Upon landing on what looked like a beach, Lt. Morton's ship exploded and burned. I failed to see anyone leave the ship after it crashed and burned."
"Suspected of having been hit in the bomb bay tank and fuel ignited by explosions on the refinery [at Campina during the Ploesti raid]. A wing fire was also reported.
The Pilot, Lt. Horton, attempted a crash landing on the Prahova river near Bobolia village approximately 2 miles SW of Campina and north of Lt. Pete Hughes' crashed aircraft. Horton's aircraft disintegrated upon impact killing 7 crew members. The TTG miraculously escaped with injuries. Robert Kaufman and James Lambert were extracted with injuries but died shortly thereafter."
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 735th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-748363
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-Pilot, Co-Pilot; Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-728838
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-736522
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-438441
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: - Sand Witch
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 566th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 1 August 1943
- Official Description:
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Berka, al Birkah
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other The Crash of Horton's Plane |
1 August 1843 | Chris Christensen, a pilot from 389th BG, tells us what he witnessed during the Ploesti raid: "The airplanes going straight in were getting hit. The Hughes airplane (J), third directly ahead of us was on fire but kept going and dropped its bombs into the target. Horton's airplane (C-) directly ahead was getting hit after he released his bombs as he made a slight correction to the right to avoid smoke and flames. Bill Nading and I looked at each other and I concurred by a hand gesture with him to go through the smoke and flames. We were flying at an altitude about half way up the height of the chimney of the power plant, the target of the lead airplanes in each element. Our bombardier released the bombs and we zipped through the smoke and flames. We could see the flash from the barrels of guns shooting at us from pointblank range, but Blonds Away continued to fly normally. I assumed we were getting hit but could not detect any damage. Our tail gunner, Joe Fussi, reported that the tail turret had failed and he was trying to repair it. (Later examination showed this to be an equipment failure unrelated to the combat.) We crossed the village of Campina flying just above the roofs of the houses. We could see Mooney's airplane (R-) wobbling along and we were trying to move into a tight formation with it. We caught up with Horton's airplane (C-) which appeared to be in bad shape with a major fire in the fuselage. Just as we were even with it, perhaps fifty feet higher and one hundred feet to the left, the airplane hit the vertical bank of a stream bed just beyond the village. The airplane crumpled into a fireball. It did not appear that anyone could survive this crash, but a few months later we learned the top turret gunner survived." | |
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Born |
Indiana | 16 January 1923 | His parents were Norval C. Horton (1895–1963), and Marie A. (Gruber) Horton (1892–1967). |
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Other Distinguished Service Cross |
Cincinnati, Ohio | 1 August 1943 | "First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Robert W. Horton (ASN: 0-736522), United States Army Air Forces, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a B-24 Heavy Bomber in the 566th Bombardment Squadron, 389th Bombardment Group (H), Ninth Air Force (Attached), while participating in a bombing mission on 1 August 1943, against the Ploesti Oil Refineries in Rumania. During a long and hazardous attack against a vital enemy oil installation made at low-altitude by a formation of B-24D type aircraft, First Lieutenant Horton was Pilot of a B-24D bomber assigned to drop bombs on the refineries. Even after his plane was severely damaged by flak, he continued on in the face of almost insurmountable odds. Over his blazing target he remained steadfast in the cockpit and, with heroic calm and unflinching loyalty, he continued his bomb run. The personal courage and zealous devotion to duty displayed by First Lieutenant Horton on this occasion, at the cost of his life, exemplified the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 9th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces." |
|
Other Killed in action |
1 August 1943 | "Suspected of having been hit on the bomb bay tank and fuel ignited by explosions on the refinery [at Campina during the Ploesti raid]. A wing fire also reported. Attempted a crash landing on the Prahova river near Bobolia village approximately 2 miles SW of Campina. and north of the L. Hughes crashed aircraft. Aircraft disintegrated upon impact killing 7 crew members. The the TTG miraculously escaped with injuries. Robert Kaufman and James Lambert were extracted with injuries but died shortly thereafter." | |
|
Other Jack Dieterle's Account of Horton's Crash |
1 August 1943 | "I saw Lieutenant Horton just after he had passed over the target and dropped his bombs. His ship caught fire from one of the explosions and it looked to me as though he was going to try and crash land beyond the town. Upon landing on what looked like a beach, Lt. Morton's ship exploded and burned. I failed to see anyone leave the ship after it crashed and burned." | |
|
Buried |
Springfield Cemetery, Madison, Indiana | The crew were originally buried at Campina, Romania, along with Hughes' crew. The US Grave Commission reinterred them in the US. Horton is buried at Springdale Cemetery Madison, Jefferson County, Indiana, North grave, East ½, Lot 635, Plat 6. | |
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Other DSC Citation |
Headquarters, Ninth U.S. Army Air Force, General Orders No. 89 (1943) The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Robert W. Horton (ASN: 0-736522), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a B-24 Heavy Bomber in the 566th Bombardment Squadron, 389th Bombardment Group (H), NINTH Air Force (Attached), while participating in a bombing mission on 1 August 1943, against the Ploesti Oil Refineries in Rumania. During a long and hazardous attack against a vital enemy oil installation made at low-altitude by a formation of B-24 type aircraft, First Lieutenant Horton was Pilot of a B-24 bomber assigned to drop bombs on the refineries. Flying in at an altitude of about 200 feet, Lieutenant Horton pierced bristling defenses and, showing fearlessness and determination of the most extraordinary kind, reached the target and enabled it to be bombed. His heroism in the face of deadly peril has added luster to the record of achievement of the United States Air Forces. The personal courage and zealous devotion to duty displayed by First Lieutenant Horton on this occasion, at the cost of his life, exemplified the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 9th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces. |
Revisions
Richard Dieterle, Citation of Distinguished Service Cross to Robert W Horton, Headquarters, Ninth U.S. Army Air Force, General Orders No. 89 (1943).
General Orders: Headquarters, Ninth U.S. Army Air Force, General Orders No. 89 (1943).
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 156
