Son of Egbert & Ruth B. Close who divorced by 1930 and split the children, Robert living with his father and grand parents Joseph W & Emma W Close in New Jersey. His mother moved to Penn, with a daughter.
He was shot down 24 May 1944 while flying B-17F, 42-30169, with the 341st Bomb Squadron of the 97th Bomb Group. He was the last to bail out and the A/C and was with two of his crew in Stalag Luft 4 and then moved with them to Stalag Luft 1. The camp was liberated 1 May 1945 and Lt. Close left with a group of POW's, against orders, to find there own way home. He was never heard from again and his body was never recovered.
This is per statements made by crew members Paul J. Thuesen and Thomas E. Burke in the Missing Air Crew Report #5070.
All ten of the crew bailed out and were captured.
Crew list:
Close, Robert S. (Pilot) 2nd Lt. 0808381
Welch, Orris Franklin (Co-Pilot) 2nd Lt. 0689104
Greenfield, David Samuel (Navigator) 2nd Lt. 0757814 [Captured 24 May 1330 hours, at place of crash.]
Englund, Robert Reinhold (Bombardier) 2nd Lt. 0752559 [Captured 24 May, 1140 hours St. Marein on Pickelbach, Dist. Graz]
Marlow, Robert Owen (Radio Operator) Staff Sgt. 35573854
*Haigh, Herbert Joseph (Engineer) Staff Sgt. 39605790 [Captured 24 May, 1050 hours Woerth-Nichberg on Raab.]
Burke, Thomas Edward (Gunner) Sgt. 36647310 [Captured 24 May, 1140 hours St. Marein on Pickelbach, Dist. Graz.]
Shifres, Frank (Gunner) Staff Sgt. 11021527
Thuesen, Paul James (Gunner) Staff Sgt. 17044665 [Captured 24 May, 1140 hours St. Marein on Pickelbach, Dist. Graz.]
Fulleton, Russell Wayne (Gunner) Sgt. 39458402
Asbury Park Evening Press story of 24 May 1944 MIA 2nd Lt. Robert S. Close, B-17 pilot. (page 2 and photo)
Robert Stokley Close was born in Wanamassa April 16, 1920. After graduation from Asbury Park high school in 1938, he established a letter shop. The Office Staff, at 313 Bond Street here. His interest in advertising led to employment in the promotion department of the Jersey Central Power and Light Company from which position he was furloughed to enlist as an air cadet.
In October 1942 he was inducted with 14 others of a unit recruited at Red Bank.
Securing his pilots wings after training at various southern fields, Lt. Close married Miss Lucy Brown Skinner, Montgomery, Alabama, in September of 1943, following a courtship begun while he was stationed at Maxwell Field. The couple resided in Florida while he completed bomber training.
In April of 1944, Lt. Close piloted his plane over a 9,000 mile route in Italy, and because he was assigned in a mission every other day, wrote that he was sanguine about an early furlough home.
Surviving in addition to his father and his wife who lives in Montomery, are Lt Close’s mother, Mrs Frank X McDermatt. Upper Darby, PA: a brother, Lt. Egbert B. Close, B-24 pilot in Japan: a sister, Mrs Robert P. Beech, St. Petersburg, Florida, and a half brother, Kenneth S. Close, Asbury Park.
Sometime between 1950 and 1951 his widow Lucy remarried to Dental laboratory technician Peter Bryan Meek Jr. in Montgomery, Alabama.
He was shot down 24 May 1944 while flying B-17F, 42-30169, with the 341st Bomb Squadron of the 97th Bomb Group. He was the last to bail out and the A/C and was with two of his crew in Stalag Luft 4 and then moved with them to Stalag Luft 1. The camp was liberated 1 May 1945 and Lt. Close left with a group of POW's, against orders, to find there own way home. He was never heard from again and his body was never recovered.
This is per statements made by crew members Paul J. Thuesen and Thomas E. Burke in the Missing Air Crew Report #5070.
All ten of the crew bailed out and were captured.
Crew list:
Close, Robert S. (Pilot) 2nd Lt. 0808381
Welch, Orris Franklin (Co-Pilot) 2nd Lt. 0689104
Greenfield, David Samuel (Navigator) 2nd Lt. 0757814 [Captured 24 May 1330 hours, at place of crash.]
Englund, Robert Reinhold (Bombardier) 2nd Lt. 0752559 [Captured 24 May, 1140 hours St. Marein on Pickelbach, Dist. Graz]
Marlow, Robert Owen (Radio Operator) Staff Sgt. 35573854
*Haigh, Herbert Joseph (Engineer) Staff Sgt. 39605790 [Captured 24 May, 1050 hours Woerth-Nichberg on Raab.]
Burke, Thomas Edward (Gunner) Sgt. 36647310 [Captured 24 May, 1140 hours St. Marein on Pickelbach, Dist. Graz.]
Shifres, Frank (Gunner) Staff Sgt. 11021527
Thuesen, Paul James (Gunner) Staff Sgt. 17044665 [Captured 24 May, 1140 hours St. Marein on Pickelbach, Dist. Graz.]
Fulleton, Russell Wayne (Gunner) Sgt. 39458402
Asbury Park Evening Press story of 24 May 1944 MIA 2nd Lt. Robert S. Close, B-17 pilot. (page 2 and photo)
Robert Stokley Close was born in Wanamassa April 16, 1920. After graduation from Asbury Park high school in 1938, he established a letter shop. The Office Staff, at 313 Bond Street here. His interest in advertising led to employment in the promotion department of the Jersey Central Power and Light Company from which position he was furloughed to enlist as an air cadet.
In October 1942 he was inducted with 14 others of a unit recruited at Red Bank.
Securing his pilots wings after training at various southern fields, Lt. Close married Miss Lucy Brown Skinner, Montgomery, Alabama, in September of 1943, following a courtship begun while he was stationed at Maxwell Field. The couple resided in Florida while he completed bomber training.
In April of 1944, Lt. Close piloted his plane over a 9,000 mile route in Italy, and because he was assigned in a mission every other day, wrote that he was sanguine about an early furlough home.
Surviving in addition to his father and his wife who lives in Montomery, are Lt Close’s mother, Mrs Frank X McDermatt. Upper Darby, PA: a brother, Lt. Egbert B. Close, B-24 pilot in Japan: a sister, Mrs Robert P. Beech, St. Petersburg, Florida, and a half brother, Kenneth S. Close, Asbury Park.
Sometime between 1950 and 1951 his widow Lucy remarried to Dental laboratory technician Peter Bryan Meek Jr. in Montgomery, Alabama.
Son of Egbert & Ruth B. Close who divorced by 1930 and split the children, Robert living with his father and grand parents Joseph W & Emma W Close in New Jersey. His mother moved to Penn, with a daughter.
He was shot down 24 May 1944 while flying B-17F, 42-30169, with the 341st Bomb Squadron of the 97th Bomb Group. He was the last to bail out and the A/C and was with two of his crew in Stalag Luft 4 and then moved with them to Stalag Luft 1. The camp was liberated 1 May 1945 and Lt. Close left with a group of POW's, against orders, to find there own way home. He was never heard from again and his body was never recovered.
This is per statements made by crew members Paul J. Thuesen and Thomas E. Burke in the Missing Air Crew Report #5070.
All ten of the crew bailed out and were captured.
Crew list:
Close, Robert S. (Pilot) 2nd Lt. 0808381
Welch, Orris Franklin (Co-Pilot) 2nd Lt. 0689104
Greenfield, David Samuel (Navigator) 2nd Lt. 0757814 [Captured 24 May 1330 hours, at place of crash.]
Englund, Robert Reinhold (Bombardier) 2nd Lt. 0752559 [Captured 24 May, 1140 hours St. Marein on Pickelbach, Dist. Graz]
Marlow, Robert Owen (Radio Operator) Staff Sgt. 35573854
*Haigh, Herbert Joseph (Engineer) Staff Sgt. 39605790 [Captured 24 May, 1050 hours Woerth-Nichberg on Raab.]
Burke, Thomas Edward (Gunner) Sgt. 36647310 [Captured 24 May, 1140 hours St. Marein on Pickelbach, Dist. Graz.]
Shifres, Frank (Gunner) Staff Sgt. 11021527
Thuesen, Paul James (Gunner) Staff Sgt. 17044665 [Captured 24 May, 1140 hours St. Marein on Pickelbach, Dist. Graz.]
Fulleton, Russell Wayne (Gunner) Sgt. 39458402
Asbury Park Evening Press story of 24 May 1944 MIA 2nd Lt. Robert S. Close, B-17 pilot. (page 2 and photo)
Robert Stokley Close was born in Wanamassa April 16, 1920. After graduation from Asbury Park high school in 1938, he established a letter shop. The Office Staff, at 313 Bond Street here. His interest in advertising led to employment in the promotion department of the Jersey Central Power and Light Company from which position he was furloughed to enlist as an air cadet.
In October 1942 he was inducted with 14 others of a unit recruited at Red Bank.
Securing his pilots wings after training at various southern fields, Lt. Close married Miss Lucy Brown Skinner, Montgomery, Alabama, in September of 1943, following a courtship begun while he was stationed at Maxwell Field. The couple resided in Florida while he completed bomber training.
In April of 1944, Lt. Close piloted his plane over a 9,000 mile route in Italy, and because he was assigned in a mission every other day, wrote that he was sanguine about an early furlough home.
Surviving in addition to his father and his wife who lives in Montomery, are Lt Close’s mother, Mrs Frank X McDermatt. Upper Darby, PA: a brother, Lt. Egbert B. Close, B-24 pilot in Japan: a sister, Mrs Robert P. Beech, St. Petersburg, Florida, and a half brother, Kenneth S. Close, Asbury Park.
Sometime between 1950 and 1951 his widow Lucy remarried to Dental laboratory technician Peter Bryan Meek Jr. in Montgomery, Alabama.
He was shot down 24 May 1944 while flying B-17F, 42-30169, with the 341st Bomb Squadron of the 97th Bomb Group. He was the last to bail out and the A/C and was with two of his crew in Stalag Luft 4 and then moved with them to Stalag Luft 1. The camp was liberated 1 May 1945 and Lt. Close left with a group of POW's, against orders, to find there own way home. He was never heard from again and his body was never recovered.
This is per statements made by crew members Paul J. Thuesen and Thomas E. Burke in the Missing Air Crew Report #5070.
All ten of the crew bailed out and were captured.
Crew list:
Close, Robert S. (Pilot) 2nd Lt. 0808381
Welch, Orris Franklin (Co-Pilot) 2nd Lt. 0689104
Greenfield, David Samuel (Navigator) 2nd Lt. 0757814 [Captured 24 May 1330 hours, at place of crash.]
Englund, Robert Reinhold (Bombardier) 2nd Lt. 0752559 [Captured 24 May, 1140 hours St. Marein on Pickelbach, Dist. Graz]
Marlow, Robert Owen (Radio Operator) Staff Sgt. 35573854
*Haigh, Herbert Joseph (Engineer) Staff Sgt. 39605790 [Captured 24 May, 1050 hours Woerth-Nichberg on Raab.]
Burke, Thomas Edward (Gunner) Sgt. 36647310 [Captured 24 May, 1140 hours St. Marein on Pickelbach, Dist. Graz.]
Shifres, Frank (Gunner) Staff Sgt. 11021527
Thuesen, Paul James (Gunner) Staff Sgt. 17044665 [Captured 24 May, 1140 hours St. Marein on Pickelbach, Dist. Graz.]
Fulleton, Russell Wayne (Gunner) Sgt. 39458402
Asbury Park Evening Press story of 24 May 1944 MIA 2nd Lt. Robert S. Close, B-17 pilot. (page 2 and photo)
Robert Stokley Close was born in Wanamassa April 16, 1920. After graduation from Asbury Park high school in 1938, he established a letter shop. The Office Staff, at 313 Bond Street here. His interest in advertising led to employment in the promotion department of the Jersey Central Power and Light Company from which position he was furloughed to enlist as an air cadet.
In October 1942 he was inducted with 14 others of a unit recruited at Red Bank.
Securing his pilots wings after training at various southern fields, Lt. Close married Miss Lucy Brown Skinner, Montgomery, Alabama, in September of 1943, following a courtship begun while he was stationed at Maxwell Field. The couple resided in Florida while he completed bomber training.
In April of 1944, Lt. Close piloted his plane over a 9,000 mile route in Italy, and because he was assigned in a mission every other day, wrote that he was sanguine about an early furlough home.
Surviving in addition to his father and his wife who lives in Montomery, are Lt Close’s mother, Mrs Frank X McDermatt. Upper Darby, PA: a brother, Lt. Egbert B. Close, B-24 pilot in Japan: a sister, Mrs Robert P. Beech, St. Petersburg, Florida, and a half brother, Kenneth S. Close, Asbury Park.
Sometime between 1950 and 1951 his widow Lucy remarried to Dental laboratory technician Peter Bryan Meek Jr. in Montgomery, Alabama.
Inscription
2 LT 341 BOMB SQ 97 BOMB GP (H) NEW JERSEY
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from New Jersey.
Family Members
Parents
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