Sandlin, Robert Benjamin

Rank and Name, Staff Sergeant Robert Benjamin Sandlin.

Unit/Placed in, 367^th Bomber Squadron, 306^th Bomber Group (Heavy) “Reich Wreckers”.

Robert is born approx. on 19 Feb. 1916 in Oklahoma.

Father, Henry Cleveland Sandlin.

Mother, Elsa Mae (Trout) Sandlin.

Sister(s), Retha and Reba Sandlin.

Brother(s), Joseph C. Henry L. Gerald and Henry L. Sandlin.

Robert enlisted the service in Oklahoma with service number # 20827942.

Roberts‘s Crew-members and their position on-board the plane a B-17 were,

1^st Lt. Danton J. Nygaard Pilot

1^st Lt. Daniel D DeButts Co Pilot

2^nd Lt. Frank B. Leasman Navigator

2^nd Lt. John S. Trost Bombardier

SSgt. Cecil J. Floyd Engineer

SSgt. Robert B. Sandlin Radio Operator

SSgt. Arnold E. Pearson Ball Turret Gunner

Sgt. Arthur A. Bloom Right Waist Gunner

Sgt. Stephen Ross Left Waist Gunner

Sgt. Edwin A. Simoncek Tail Gunner

Robert was KIA while on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France they were shot down by enemy aircraft and crashed near Nangis, France on 20 Dec. 1942, he is honored with a Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.

Robert was first buried at Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial, Epinal, Departement des Vosges, Lorraine, France.

In 1948 he was reburied in his hometown at Oklahoma.

Robert is buried/mentioned at Elmwood Cemetery, Wagoner, Wagoner County, Oklahoma, USA.

Thanks to, https://www.306bg.us/

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/G7Q3-D9P

Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com and Europe 1940-1945 on Facebook.

Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.

ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov

Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/ Geoffrey Roecker

Seabees History Bob Smith https://seabeehf.org/

Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org