Name | Long, Robert Clay ‡ |
Rank | Second Lieutenant |
Serial Number | O-778518 ‡ |
Unit Assignments | Assigned to the 546th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #8 dated 9 January 1945 |
Duty | Pilot |
MOS | 1091 - Pilot, B-17 |
Last Duty Date | 3 February 1945 |
Results |
Killed In Action Final Resting Place or Memorial: Crescent Heights Cemetery, Pleasant Hill, Illinois |
Decorations | Awarded the Silver Star (posthumously) for his valorous actions during the 3 February 1945 mission and after ditching. |
Citation For Higher Decoration | SILVER STAR (posthumous). ROBERT C. LONG, O-778518, Second Lieutenant, Army Air Forces, United States Army. For gallantry in action while piloting a B-17 aircraft on a bombardment mission over Germany, 3 February 1945. A few minutes before reaching the target, Lieutenant Long's plane was heavily damaged by flak and two (2) engines knocked out. At this point, he could have jettisoned his bombs and reached friendly territory with comparative safety, but he elected to fulfill his mission. During withdrawal, he was forced to leave the formation and upon reaching the Channel, ordered all equipment thrown overboard preparatory to ditching. Calmly directing and encouraging the crew he ditched the aircraft without serious injury to the members of the crew. In the heavy seas, Lieutenant Long swam forty (40) yards to an empty raft where he pulled himself aboard and collapsed. Hearing the other crewmen call that their raft was overloaded, he attempted to paddle towards them with his hands until he became violently ill. The fact that after the rafts were joined, Lieutenant Long continued to give instructions to the crew until he succumbed to exposure attest to his fortitude, courage and steadfast devotion to duty. Next of kin: Mrs. Oca Robinson Long, Pleasant Hill, Illinois. Citation Source: 'As Briefed...' |
Related Documents | Missing Air Crew Report # 15315⇓ (25.934 MB) |
Photo Album: | Crew Photo Album⇗ |
CREWMEMBER | POSITION | RESULTS |
---|---|---|
2nd Lt. Long, Robert Clay | Pilot | KIA |
2nd Lt. Vrana, Ralph John⇗ | Co-pilot | FCMEW |
2nd Lt. Field, Edward (NMI)⇗ | Navigator | FCMEW |
CPL. Rudolph, Marvin Irving⇗ | Togglier | CT |
CPL. Maki, Frederick Arnold⇗ | Radio Operator / Gunner | MIA |
SGT. Oglesby, Howard Jasper⇗ | Engineer / Top Turret Gunner | CT |
PVT. Cook, Jack Coleman⇗ | Ball Turret Gunner | KIA |
CPL. Davis, Thomas Arnold⇗ | Tail Gunner | TR |
CPL. Duncan, Donald Ramsey⇗ | Flexible Gunner | FCMEW |
Number | Date | Target | Position | Aircraft | Mission/Sortie Information |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
259⇗ | 22 January 1945 |
Target: Synthetic Oil Refinery Type: Oil Industry Location: Sterkrade, Germany |
Co-pilot | 43‑39053⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
261⇗ | 28 January 1945 |
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Cologne / Köln, Germany |
Co-pilot | 43‑38501⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
262⇗ | 29 January 1945 |
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Siegen, Germany |
Pilot | 43‑38501⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
263⇗ | 1 February 1945 |
Target: Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Mannheim, Germany |
Pilot | 43‑38766⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
264⇗ | 3 February 1945 |
Target: Tempelhof Railroad Marshalling Yards Type: Transportation Location: Berlin, Germany |
Pilot | 42‑102501⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Aircraft left formation after bombs away with one engine feathered, damaged by flak. Dropped behind formation and appeared headed for Russian lines, but ditched in the North Sea. 2nd Lt. Robert C. Long received posthumous award of Silver Star, for his selfless efforts to save his crew after ditching. See 'As Briefed...' page 201. MACR 15315 Sortie Report⇗ |