World War II Honoree

Robert Alexander Ellis

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Great Falls, Montana

Honored By

Anita, John, Holly, Quentin, Robert Ellis, Anita O'Neill & Ruth Ann Greer

Relationship

Wife, Sons & Daughters

ENLISTED IN SEPTEMBER 1941 AND WAS FIRST IN A GROUND CREW IN AFRICA, WHERE HE WAS PART OF THE INVASION FORCE AT CASABLANCA. TRANSFERRED TO A COMBAT CREW AS AN AERIAL GUNNER. HIS GUNNERY EXPERIENCE STARTED IN JUNE 1943, WITH THE BOMBING OF THE MEDITERRANEAN ISLAND OF PANTELLERIA. FLEW OVER 50 MISSIONS, WHICH TOOK HIM OVER FRANCE, SOUTHERN GERMANY, YUGOSLAVIA, HUNGARY, GREECE, NORTHERN ITALY AND ALMOST ALL THE MEDITERRANEAN ISLANDS INVOLVED IN THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN. NEVER HAD TO PARACHUTE. HIS NARROWEST ESCAPE WAS WHEN HE LANDED IN SARDINIA JUST AS THE PLANE RAN OUT OF GAS AND TWO ENGINES WENT OUT OF COMMISSION AS THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE RUNWAY. THE WORST FLAK IN HIS EXPERIENCE WAS OVER MESSINA, WHERE HIS OXYGEN MASK WAS SHOT FROM HIS FACE.