World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Robert W. Cole
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Pueblo, California
Honored By
A Grateful American
SECOND LIEUTENANT, 319TH SQUADRON (ASTERPERIOUS), 90TH BOMB GROUP 'JOLLY ROGERS', 5TH AIR FORCE, SERVED IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. MEMBER OF WARREN KOFSKY CREW. RETURNING FROM A BOMBING MISSION ON BALIKPAPAN, THE GROUP WAS ATTACKED BY ENEMY FIGHTERS. THE TAIL GUNNER HIT ONE OF THE ENEMY PLANES. IT EXPLODED AND HIT HIS PLANE CAUSING THEM TO FALL BEHIND THE GROUP AND BE A TARGET OF THE JAPANESE FIGHTERS. KILLED SEPTEMBER 30, 1944. MISSING AIR CREW REPORT 9147. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL WITH THREE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, PURPLE HEART.