World War II Honoree

Robert P. Girvin

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Los Angeles, California

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Second Lieutenant. He was inducted into the United States Army Air Corps March 23, 1942 at Los Angeles, California. As a graduate of the Advanced Flight Aviation Cadet Training program, he accepted his Commission and Silver Bombardier Wings. He served as a Bombardier aboard the B-17G ‘Flying Fortress’ Bomber, assigned to the 337th Bomber Squadron, Ninety-Sixth Bomber Group and an element of the U.S. 8th Air Force ‘Mighty Eighth’ Army Air Forces. His unit was based at Snetterton Heath Royal Air Force Station, England. On Thursday, December 16, 1943 the ‘Flying Fortress’ with ten crewmembers, departed England on a bombing mission to Bremen, Germany. While returning to base (RTB), his bomber suffered a Mid-Air-Collision with another B-17 ‘Flying Fortress’ that was hit by German flak fire, crashing into the Wadden Sea (North Sea). His remains were recovered from the Wadden Sea, with burial in the Margraten Battlefield Cemetery; Aachen, Holland. In the post-war era, this Airman’s family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at the Netherlands American Cemetery Location: Margraten, Netherlands. In his Memory and Honor, this American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart. The Air Medal was awarded to the Lieutenant for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight, and the Purple Heart, for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.