| Name | Cole, Robert Lester ‡ |
| Rank | Staff Sergeant / Technical Sergeant |
| Serial Number | 13128039 ‡ |
| Unit Assignments | Assigned to the 544th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #146 dated 17 November 1943, effective 17 November 1943. |
| Duty | Radio Operator / Gunner |
| MOS | 756 - Radio Operator, AAF (Army Air Forces Radio Operator) |
| Last Duty Date | 25 February 1944 |
| Results |
Prisoner Of War POW Camp: Not identified in National Archives POW database. |
| Additional Information |
|
| Related Documents | Missing Air Crew Report # 2774⇓ (1.201 MB) |
| Photo Album: | Crew Photo Album⇗ |
| CREWMEMBER | POSITION | RESULTS |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd Lt. Larsen, Jack Kirby⇗ | Pilot | POW |
| 2nd Lt. Donovan, Warren Francis⇗ | Co-pilot | POW |
| 2nd Lt. Fallon, John James⇗ | Navigator | POW |
| 2nd Lt. Murray, Edward Joseph⇗ | Bombardier | POW |
| S/SGT. Cole, Robert Lester | Radio Operator / Gunner | POW |
| S/SGT. Barnes, Karl Francis⇗ | Engineer / Top Turret Gunner | POW |
| SGT. Haverlah, Alton Bernhard⇗ | Ball Turret Gunner | POW |
| SGT. Moore, John William⇗ | Tail Gunner | POW |
| SGT. Holler, Edward Ralph⇗ | Flexible Gunner | POW |
| SGT. Simon, Edward (NMI)⇗ | Flexible Gunner | POW |
| Number | Date | Target | Position | Aircraft | Mission/Sortie Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42⇗ | 13 December 1943 |
Target: Port Area Type: Transportation Location: Bremen, Germany |
Radio Operator | 41‑24560⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Low group. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 47⇗ | 30 December 1943 |
Target: I. G. Farben Industrie, Chemical/Synthetic Rubber Plants Type: Industry Location: Ludwigshafen, Germany |
Radio Operator | 42‑39784⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Briefed to fly in high Squadron of composite group, flew #6 position with unidentified Group; landed away at Thurleigh due to low fuel. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 54⇗ | 21 January 1944 |
Target: NOBALL (V-1 Launch Site) Type: CROSSBOW (V-Weapons) Location: Preuseville, France |
Radio Operator | 42‑29717⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit 41A Group. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 55⇗ | 29 January 1944 |
Target: Aircraft Parts Plants Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
Radio Operator | 42‑29717⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Lead group. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 56⇗ | 30 January 1944 |
Target: Aircraft Assembly Plant Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Brunswick / Braunschweig, Germany |
Radio Operator | 42‑29717⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Low group. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 63⇗ | 20 February 1944 |
Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Leipzig & Bernburg, Germany |
Radio Operator | 42‑3441⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit 41A Group. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 64⇗ | 21 February 1944 |
Target: Fighter Field & Aircraft Storage Depot Type: German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Location: Werl, Germany |
Radio Operator | 42‑29717⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Sortie Report⇗ |
| 65⇗ | 22 February 1944 |
Target: Aircraft Factory Type: Aircraft Industry Location: Halberstadt & Aschersleben, Germany |
Radio Operator | 42‑29717⇗ |
Aborted Mission After Taking Off 41A Group. Took off late (0922 instead of 0845) due to mechanical trouble but succeeded in joining formation. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 66⇗ | 24 February 1944 |
Target: Ball-Bearing Plant Type: Bearings Industry Location: Schweinfurt, Germany |
Radio Operator | 42‑29717⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit High Squadron, lead group. Sortie Report⇗ |
| 67⇗ | 25 February 1944 |
Target: Aircraft Assembly & Ball Bearings Plants Type: Industry Location: Augsburg & Stuttgart, Germany |
Radio Operator | 42‑29717⇗ |
Combat Mission Credit Failed To Return 41C Group, High Squadron, Lead Group. Feathered #2 engine at 1325 hrs but continued on towards target; at 1420, three minutes before target was reached, jettisoned bombs and peeled off from formation, perhaps heading for Switzerland; crash-landed near Bruchsal, Germany. MACR 2774 Sortie Report⇗ |