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S/SGT  Robert L. BIXLER

UNIT: 418th BOMB Sqdn POSITION: BTG
SERIAL #: 39849177 STATUS: POW
MACR: 01028 CR: 01028

Comments1: 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER (EAC- EXP) Original 100th, Crew #31

COMMENTS & NOTES

MEMO 1:

CREW
 
     Crew #31           418th Sqdn. M.A.C.R. #1028

Mission:Munster Aircraft #42-30725
Date: 10 Oct.1943
Time: 1500/1530 "AW-R-GO"
A/C last seen: Munster
Cause:EAC

Crew aboard:
 Charles B.Cruikshank Capt.     P POW
 Glenn E.Graham 1st Lt.   CP POW
 Frank D.Murphy Capt.     NAV POW
 August H.Gaspar 1st Lt   . BOM POW
 Orlando E.Vincenti T/Sgt ROG KIA
 Leonard R.Weeks T/Sgt.    TTE POW
 Robert L.Bixler S/Sgt.BTG POW
 James M.Johnson S/Sgt  .  WG POW
 Donald B.Garrison S/Sgt.    WG POW
 Charles A.Clark Sgt.  TG KIA

Crew on 21st mission. Weeks said that Vincenti bailed out of bomb-bay with chute afire. Had been fighting fire in radio room.

Garrison saw both James Johnson & Robert Bixler wounded and in waist of plane. Plane blew up and Garrison blown out. Ship had dropped bombs on target.

Weeks said; "Germans said Vincenti's chute had burned in the descent and that he was dead before hitting the ground. Bixler said Germans had shown him Vincenti's dog tags and told him that he was dead."

Johnson said he was blown out of ship and his chute opened at about 5,000 ft.

Clark couldn't seem to get his escape hatch open and was probably killed when plane blow up.

Fighter attack caused fire in ship.

German Records show :Sgt. Charles A. Clark interred on 11 )ct 1943 at Lienen Cemetary/Wesph. Northwestern
third of cemetary, southern grave.

   O.E.Vincenti northern grave

(probably entirely burnt since Id tsg was found burnt,too.) Mrs.Agnes Clark 603 Laurel Ave. Highland Park,Ill.

Sadly, another search for one of our aircrew members has ended in futility.  Today I had a call from the nephew of Bob Bixler, BTG on our crew, in Kansas.  I also talked at length with Bob's widow in Wickenburg, AZ.  Bob died from a stroke in February 1998.  Practically all his life after the war he was an engineer with the Arizona Highway Department and, apart from his wife, left a son, Robert Bixler, Jr and a granddaughter.  Except for a fellow POW (not a 100th vet) Bob was never in contact with anyone from the 100th BG or any 8th AFveterans organization….Frank Murphy

MEMO 2:

 Wounded before bailout

KIA / MIA / EVA / INT INFORMATION:

TARGET: Munster DATE: 1943-10-10  
AIRCRAFT: "Aw R Go" (42-30725) CAUSE: EAC - EXP  

BURIAL INFORMATION

PLOT: ROW:  
GRAVE: CEMETERY:  

PHOTOS:

Article referencing Robert Bixler (courtesy of Laura Shivers)

Article referencing Robert Bixler (courtesy of Laura Shivers)

Article referencing Robert Bixler (courtesy of Laura Shivers)

 The Charles B. Cruikshank crew in Telergua, Algeria, 17 Aug 1943. Crew #31 just after landing. L-R A. August H. Gaspar, Charles A. Clark, James M. Johnson, Robert Bixler, Frank D. Murphy, Donald B. Garrison, Leonard R. Weeks, Orlando E. Vincenti. The pilot Charles B. Cruikshank is kneeling. Charles Clark and Orlando Vincenti were to be killed almost two month later at Munster (10 Oct 1943) Detailed Information (100th Photo Archives) 

 Charles B. Cruikshank crew taken at Gowen Field, Idaho in Novermber 1942. Standing (Left to Right); Charles Mertz, August H. "Augie" Gaspar, Frank D. Murphy and Charles B. Cruikshank. Kneeling; Orlando E. Vincenti, Charles A. Clark, Robert L. Bixler, Robert D. Lepper, S/Sgt Pepper and James M. Johnson. Detailed Information Photo courtesy of Frank D. Murphy John Brady Crew in North Africa after the Regensburg Mission 17 Aug 1943 Detailed Information (100th Photo Archives) Four 100th B-17s over the Alps, top "Cowboy" Roane in "LADEN MAIDEN," 2nd from top (smaller image) Henry Henington in "HORNY," center Bob Wolff in "WOLF PACK, lower "Bucky" Egan and "Crankshaft" Cruikshank in "MUGWUMP" Detailed Information (100th Photo Archives) 

 A picture taken at Stalag XVII B. Front row from left are: #1 Robert Bixler, #4 Leonard Weeks and #7 John Shay. Back row from left: #2 Robert Bergendahl, #6 Carl Battin and #7 Francis Dolson. Ernest A. Kiessling crew - Detailed Information John F. Stephens crew - Detailed Information Photo courtesy of Dan Shay (son of T/Sgt. John Shay)

 

SERVED IN:

Crew 1

ID: 378