VETERAN~WW II~KILLED IN ACTION
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Robert Coleman Bingaman was born 11 April 1922,
in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, the son of Willis
Bingaman and Mary Margaret (nee Coleman)
Bingaman.

After completing 4 years of High School, Robert
C. Bingaman entered the Military on 09 September
1942, and was sent for training as a flight engineer
on Heavy Bomber aircraft, followed by training at
a Gunnery school.

The Flight Engineer had to be a qualified airplane
mechanic and was specially trained to have a
wide knowledge of the bomber and its equipment.
He was capable of servicing the aircraft if it landed
away from its home base and he could perform most
jobs handled by the ground crew. Along with his
ability to maintain the airframe and engines, the
engineer was also an armorer with a detailed
knowledge of the aircraft's guns and bomb racks.
He had a working knowledge of all the aircraft
systems and was a key figure in any emergency
situation.

Prior to take off, the Engineer did a pre-flight visual
check of the plane. During take off he called off the
airspeed so the pilot could concentrate on keeping
the airplane straight down the runway. Once the
airplane was airborne he would keep watch on the
engine performance and the fuel consumption
throughout the flight.

The flight engineer's primary job during flight, was
manning the aircraft's top turret gun in combat. His
view from the top turret covered a 360 degree radius
over the aircraft.

During his training, Robert C. Bingaman attained
the Rank of Staff Sergeant, and he was assigned
to the 458th Bombardment Group; 755th Bombardment
Squadron.

The 458th Bombardment Group was Activated on
1 July 1943 at Wendover Field, Utah. Assembly began
at Gowen Field, Idaho, on 28 July 1943. The unit trained
there until early September 1943 then moved to Kearns
Field, Utah. On 31 October 1943 the unit moved to train
at Tonopah AAFd, Nev. The ground unit moved to the
port of embarkation on the 29th of December 1943.
The aircraft flew to the UK via the southern ferry route.
The ground unit sailed from New York on USS Florence
Nightingale on the 18 January 1944.

The 458th was stationed at Horsham St Faith, England
and assigned to the Eighth Air Force.

The 458th Flew diversionary missions on 24 and 25
Feb 1944 to draw enemy fighters from German targets
being attacked by other AAF bombers.

Began bombardment on 2 Mar 1944, and afterward
operated primarily against strategic objectives in
Germany. Hit such targets as the industrial area
of Saarbrucken, oil refineries at Hamburg, an airfield
at Brunswick, aircraft factories at Oschersleben, a
fuel depot at Dulmen, a canal at Minden, aircraft
works at Brandenburg, marshalling yards at Hamm,
and an aircraft engine plant at Magdeburg. Carried
out some interdictory and support operations in
addition to the strategic missions. Helped to
prepare for the invasion of Normandy by striking
gun batteries, V-weapon sites, and airfields in France.

Robert C. Bingaman was assigned to Lt. Howard
J. Lobo's crew. Lt Howard J. Lobo and crew joined the
458th Bomb Group as one of the early replacement
crews to supplement losses sustained in the 755th
Squadron during March and April. Unfortunately their
time with the group was cut tragically short when, on
only their second mission, Lt. Lobo, piloting B-24H;
42-95159 collided with another 458th B-24; 42-95183;
named Briney Marlin during assembly for a Bombing
Mission over NEUNKIRCHEN, Germany.

The collision happened over the North Sea, 5 miles
north of Cromer, England, on May 27, 1944. The 2nd
aircraft, 42-95183, nicknamed Briney Marlin, was flown
by Lt. Lester Martin and the officers of his crew. The
enlisted men on Briney Marlin were all seasoned veterans
from other crews who were put together for this mission.
This was Martin's first mission.

Pilot Raymond Hemrich was flying on the right wing
of the lower left element:

"I seen two ships hit but only got a glance as I was
busy. It seemed the wing of one ship hit the other on
the tail section or that he drug his tail across the wing.
I seen the tail section start to bend to one side and [then]
come completely off. The ship started a slow spiral
dive to the left and passed on our left side. The tail
element seemed to fall apart and passed close over
the top of our ship. My men watched the damaged
ship until it disappeared thru the clouds and reported
seeing no one bail out."

The bodies of two men, Toivo Maki and William
Fitzgerald were washed ashore, but the eight others
from Lt. Lobo's crew were never found.

Two men on Briney Marlin were also lost. Immediately
after the collision, pilot Martin rang the bail out bell.
The engineer, S/Sgt Chester Carlstrum, jettisoned the
bomb load and followed the bombs out through the
bomb bay. Tail gunner S/Sgt Wilbert Abshire, despite
other crewmen in the tail urging him not to jump, bailed
out as well. Possibly due to the lightened load after
the bombs had been released, Martin discovered he
had some measure of control and rescinded his bail
out order. He was able to make it back to Horsham St.
Faith and landed the aircraft without further damage or
loss to the crew.

After one year, and with no trace of the men ever found,
a Military review panel, officially declared the Missing
Crew Members Dead, and having been Killed In Action
on the date they were listed as missing, 27 May 1944.

Staff Sergeant Robert C. Bingaman is Memorialized
at the Cambridge American Cemetery in Cambridge,
England, and at the Calvary United Methodist Cemetery
in Wiconisco, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

Staff Sergeant Robert C. Bingaman was survived by
his parents, Willis Bingaman and Mary Margaret
(Nee Coleman) Bingaman; his two brothers, Clarence
H. Bingaman and Nevin W. Bingaman; and by his sisters,
Arlene Bingaman Rupp and Venus Bingaman Wethington.
----
27 May 1944
8th AF; 458thBG (HEAVY); 755thBS
A/C B-24H Liberator; serial #: 42-95159
Target NEUNKIRCHEN, Germany
Collision: 5 miles North of Cromer, England;
Over the North Sea
MACR: 5631

Pilot: 1Lt Howard J. Lobo~MIA~FOD~Dayton, Ohio
Co-Pilot: 2Lt Stanley G. Sasserson~MIA~FOD~Warren, Pennsylvania
Navigator: 2Lt Toivo J. Maki N~KIA~Detroit, Michigan~(Buried USA)
Bombardier: 2Lt William M. Fitzgerald~KIA~Lakewood, Ohio~(Buried Cambridge)
Radio Operator: S/Sgt Mike R. Pappas~MIA~FOD~Cantil, California
Engineer: S/Sgt Robert C. Bingaman~MIA~FOD~Lykens, Pennsylvania
Ball Turret Gunner: Sgt Edgar C. Nabe~MIA~FOD~St. Louis, Missouri
Waist Gunner: Sgt Max S. Tripp~MIA~FOD~Idaho
Waist Gunner: Sgt Lewis W. Lunsford~MIA~FOD~Harrisburg, Kentucky
Tail Gunner: Sgt Norman J. Picard~MIA~FOD~Easthampton, Massachusetts

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NEVER FORGET SSgt. Robert C. Bingaman's
Service & Sacrifice.
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