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Personal info

Full name
COLLINS, Robert Joseph
Date of birth
3 September 1919
Age
25
Place of birth
Littlestown, Adams County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Adams County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
33232400
Rank
Sergeant
Function
Engineer/Gunner
Unit
497th Bombardment Squadron,
344th Bombardment Group, Medium
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
28 January 1945
Place of death
Near Cormeilles-en-Vexin, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Epinal
Plot Row Grave
A 18 29

Immediate family

Members
Margaret N. Collins (mother)

Plane data

Serial number
42-95864
Data
Type: B-26B-50-MA
Nickname: Valkyrie
Destination: Not available
Mission: Not available
MACR: 4103

More information

Sgt Robert J. Collins was a shipping and receiving clerk before he enlisted in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on 1 June 1942. According to the Veteran Compensation Application File, he was een "illegimate" child.

Valkyrie crashed on takeoff from Station A-59 (Cormeilles-en-Vexin, just north of Paris), France, on 28 January 1945. Shortly after take off in a severe snowstorm, VALKYRIE lost her right engine during climb-out. Pilots Capt R. M. Mitchell and Lt R. C. Bernard were concerned they couldn’t circle back to their field in the poor visibility and elected to crash land on a frozen lake. Unfortunately the ship slid across the slick ice surface so fast the fuselage telescoped when it hit the bank on the opposite side, killing everyone aboard.
He was first buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery of Solers, France.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.findagrave.com – Max, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov – WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / Pennsylvania Veteran Compensation Application Files WWII

Photo source: www.findagrave.com - Andy, www.newspapers.com - The Evening Sun 16 February 1945