Robert served as a Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.
He resided in Gaston County, North Carolina prior to the war.
He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on March 28, 1941, prior to the war, in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Salesperson and also as Single, without dependents.
Robert was a passenger on C-47A #42-23870 that was assigned to the 54th Troop Carrier Squadron, U.S. Army Air Forces.
C-47A #42-23870 took off, with a crew of 4 & 5 passengers, from Cape Field, Fort Glen, Alaska on a transport mission to Shemya Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska. They were last heard from by radio as being approximately 30 miles west of Fort Glenn. After that radio contact they were not seen nor heard from again and believed to have crashed at sea due to severe weather turbulence in the area.
Robert was declared "Missing In Action" in this crash during the war.
Service # 14049111
Robert also has a "Cenotaph" in the Edgewood Cemetery, Lowell, North Carolina.
( see family links below )
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Airmen who perished on C-47A #42-23870:
Edwards, Frederick A ~ S/Sgt, Radio Operator, NC
Hand, Robert F ~ S/Sgt, Passenger, NC
Hattenbach, Alfred D ~ Pfc, Passenger, PA
Moeller, Clarence A ~ Pfc, Passenger, IL
Norman, John C ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, IA
Renstrom, Gerhard N ~ T/Sgt, Engineer, MN
Rhea, John E ~ Pfc, Passenger, VA
Rogers, Charles H, Jr ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, ME
Stephens, Delmar R ~ Pvt, Passenger, MI
( Bio & Crew Report by: Russ Pickett )
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Family Members
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Carl Holland Hand
1885–1955
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Mabel Falls Hand
1888–1963
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Carl Holland Hand
1914–1975
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Robert Falls Hand
1917–1944
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Parks Wilson Hand
1918–2006
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Charles Reid Hand
1921–1922
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