World War II Honoree

Robert C. White

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Silver Creek, Mississippi

Honored By

Catherine 'Williams' White

Relationship

Wife

ENTERED SERVICE DECEMBER 6, 1941, CAMP SHELBY MISSISSIPPI. DISCHARGED JANUARY 6, 1946 AT FORT BLISS, TEXAS. TRAINED IN THE U.S., INCLUDING AIRCRAFT ENGINEER SCHOOL, GUNNERY SCHOOL AND CREW TRAINING. STATIONED AT AIR STATION 405 (BEAULIEU, ENGLAND) HOME OF THE 323RD BOMB GROUP, 453RD BOMB SQUADRON OF THE 9TH AIR FORCE, FLYING WITH LIEUTENANT ARNOLD J. MANDIBERG'S CREW. SERVED AS CREW ENGINEER AND TAIL GUNNER ON THE B-26 MARAUDER, TWIN ENGINE BOMBER. COMMANDING OFFICER WAS COLONEL WILSON R. WOOD. FLEW MISSIONS OVER FRANCE AND GERMANY. SHOT DOWN ON 35TH MISSION OVER VALHOUN, FRANCE. INJURED AND CAPTURED. SENT TO HOSPITAL IN LILLE, FRANCE, THEN TRANSFERRED TO STALAG IXC AT OBERMASSFELD, GERMANY. WENT BY TRAIN TO STALAG LUFT IV NEAR KOLBERG ON THE BALTIC SEA IN AUGUST 1944. FEBRUARY 5, 1945 HE ALONG WITH HIS ROOMMATES AND THE WHOLE CAMP OF APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MEN WERE PLACED ON A FORCED MARCH AS THE RUSSIANS MADE THEIR PUSH TOWARD BERLIN. MARCH LASTED 52 DAYS IN A VERY COLD WINTER WITH VERY LITTLE FOOD. TRAVELED 500 TO 600 MILES ON FOOT. RECEIVED THE PURPLE HEART, AIR MEDAL WITH 4 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATION MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER OF OPERATIONS MEDAL, POW MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS MEDAL AND GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL.