Robert served as a Second Lieutenant & Engineer on B-29 #42-24638, 878th Bomber Squadron, 499th Bomber Group, Very Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

He resided in Essex County, New Jersey prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on September 30, 1940, prior to the war, in New York City, New York. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Clerk and also as Single, without dependents.

B-29 #42-24638 took off, with a crew of 11, from Saipan on a bombing mission over Negoya, Japan. After a successful bombing mission, and while returning to Saipan, during a landing attempt the right wing of the B-29 hit the surface of the water causing the B-29 to crash approximately 1500 feet off shore. It was believed that possibly one of the engines gave out due to low fuel reserves. The entire crew was lost.

Robert was declared "Missing In Action" in this crash.

He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.

Service # O-868096

Son of Mrs. Mary A. Barrett who resided in East Orange, New Jersey.

( Bio by: Russ Pickett )

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Airmen who perished on B-29 #42-24638:

Barrett, Robert R. ~ 2nd Lt, Engineer, NJ
Boyd, Hugh T. ~ S/Sgt, Radar Operator, OH
Campbell, Frank J., Jr. ~ 1st Lt, Navigator, ID
Edwards, Suggett L. ~ Sgt, CFC, MO
Gussenhoven, William C. ~ Sgt, Left Gunner, CO
Ledbetter, Garland B. ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, TX
Lomax, Melvin E. ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, KS
Meiser, Carl C. ~ 1st Lt, Bombardier, OH
Parker, Clarence W. ~ Corp, Right Gunner, IL
Roussel, Hubert, Jr. ~ Corp, Radio Operator, TX
Ward, Peter H. ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, PA

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The 73rd Air Wing lost 5 planes on this mission including:

42-63430 ~ McCandliss crew, all lost after ditching.
See: Capt George W. McCandliss for more.

42-24638 ~ Ledbetter crew, all lost after ditching ~ ( see above )

42-63447 ~ "Umbriago, Dat's My Boy" / Sylvester crew survived ditching.

42-24687 ~ "Tokyo Local" / Grise crew lost:
See: Capt Charles G. Grise for more.

42-63439 ~ crashed on Saipan ~ crew unknown and no deaths reported.

( Crew Report & Listing by: Russ Pickett )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robert served as a Second Lieutenant & Engineer on B-29 #42-24638, 878th Bomber Squadron, 499th Bomber Group, Very Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

He resided in Essex County, New Jersey prior to the war.

He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on September 30, 1940, prior to the war, in New York City, New York. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed as a Clerk and also as Single, without dependents.

B-29 #42-24638 took off, with a crew of 11, from Saipan on a bombing mission over Negoya, Japan. After a successful bombing mission, and while returning to Saipan, during a landing attempt the right wing of the B-29 hit the surface of the water causing the B-29 to crash approximately 1500 feet off shore. It was believed that possibly one of the engines gave out due to low fuel reserves. The entire crew was lost.

Robert was declared "Missing In Action" in this crash.

He was awarded the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.

Service # O-868096

Son of Mrs. Mary A. Barrett who resided in East Orange, New Jersey.

( Bio by: Russ Pickett )

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Airmen who perished on B-29 #42-24638:

Barrett, Robert R. ~ 2nd Lt, Engineer, NJ
Boyd, Hugh T. ~ S/Sgt, Radar Operator, OH
Campbell, Frank J., Jr. ~ 1st Lt, Navigator, ID
Edwards, Suggett L. ~ Sgt, CFC, MO
Gussenhoven, William C. ~ Sgt, Left Gunner, CO
Ledbetter, Garland B. ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, TX
Lomax, Melvin E. ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, KS
Meiser, Carl C. ~ 1st Lt, Bombardier, OH
Parker, Clarence W. ~ Corp, Right Gunner, IL
Roussel, Hubert, Jr. ~ Corp, Radio Operator, TX
Ward, Peter H. ~ 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, PA

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The 73rd Air Wing lost 5 planes on this mission including:

42-63430 ~ McCandliss crew, all lost after ditching.
See: Capt George W. McCandliss for more.

42-24638 ~ Ledbetter crew, all lost after ditching ~ ( see above )

42-63447 ~ "Umbriago, Dat's My Boy" / Sylvester crew survived ditching.

42-24687 ~ "Tokyo Local" / Grise crew lost:
See: Capt Charles G. Grise for more.

42-63439 ~ crashed on Saipan ~ crew unknown and no deaths reported.

( Crew Report & Listing by: Russ Pickett )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~