Bechtel, Robert William

Individual Personnel Data
Name	Bechtel, Robert William ‡ ⇗
Rank	Staff Sergeant
Serial Number	13096713 ‡
Unit Assignments	Assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per 545th Bomb Squadron Morning Report dated 29 March 1944, effective 29 March 1944.
Duty	Ball Turret Gunner
Last Duty Date	13 April 1944
Results	Evaded Capture
Decorations	Awarded the Air Medal for completing five missions. Awarded an oak leaf cluster to the Air Medal for completing five additional missions. Awarded an oak leaf cluster to the Air Medal for shooting down one enemy aircraft on 13 April 1944. Awarded the Purple Heart for wounds Received on 13 April 1944 per General Orders #49, Headquarters, U.S. Strategic Air Forces in Europe dated 11 August 1944.
Additional Information	Date of Birth: 23 March 1922 Transferred from the 482nd BG. Promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #68 dated 10 April 1944. Evaded capture on 13 April and returned to Allied Control at Gibralter on 28 July 1944. Promoted from Staff Sergeant to Technical sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #171 dated 25 August 1944.
Related Documents	Missing Air Crew Report # 3868⇓ (11.787 MB) Escape & Evasion Report # 845⇓ (Filesize N/A)

Missions, Aircraft, Crews
This individual was credited with 5 Combat Missions.
Number	Date	Target	Position	Aircraft	Mission/Sortie Information
85⇗	29 March 1944	Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑97477⇗	Combat Mission Credit Group deputy. Sortie Report⇗
86⇗	9 April 1944	Target: FW-190 Fighter Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Marienburg, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑37816⇗	Combat Mission Credit Dropped 25 parcels of G-34 'nickles' (propaganda leaflets) along with demolition bombs. Sortie Report⇗
87⇗	10 April 1944	Target: Evere Airfield (50°54'3"N 4°20'9"E) Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Brussels / Bruxelles, Belgium	Ball Turret	42‑37816⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
88⇗	11 April 1944	Target: FW Aircraft Parts Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Sorau, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑37816⇗	Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗
89⇗	13 April 1944	Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany	Ball Turret	42‑37816⇗	Combat Mission Credit Failed To Return Shot down during fighter attacks which lasted from 1354 to 1357 hrs; crashed Rambucourt, France. MACR 3868. Sortie Report⇗

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