Memorial

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F/O Robert Lough joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Charleston, West Virginia, on 30 October 1942.

The plane was hit by flak with direct hit in the bomb bay shortly before 1200 o'clock just prior to bombs away. She pulled out of formation, losing altitude, and exploded several thousand feet below. Maurice Corwine, the pilot, and Patrick Colosimo, the radio operator, were the only two survivors. Three parachutes had been reported from the plane.

Patrick Colosimo's version of what happened: He had gone down to pen the bomb doors, as there had been some problems with one of the doors. Glen Mace, the Right Waist Gunner, also came forward from his mid-ship's position and was assisting him. The gears were apparently stripped and the door on one side was only open about a foot.
Corwine, the pilot, told them to leave it, and they would salvo the bombs later. Mace was returning to his waist position and Colosimo turned to go back up to the flight deck when the ship shuddered and flames were all around him. He was pushed out through the bomb bay by someone and was not aware of what happened until his parachute deployed, with no signs of any other parachutes, and a large fire on the ground.

Statement of Horst Munter of Dortmund: "The plane exploded in midair and the wreckage was spread over a considerable area. The German records indicated that it was 95% demolished. The wreckage was cleared by members of the Luftwaffe with four of the dead identified at the scene by their dog tags; Mace, Scott, Steinmiller and Lough. The other four crew members were not identified till much later."

They were initially buried at the main cemetery of Dortmund on 9 February 1945.