Robert M. “Bob” Closen was born on January 31, 1920 in Bartonville, Peoria County, Illinois. He attended Norwood School, and is a 1938 graduate of Manual Training H.S., and was employed at Caterpillar prior to enlisting on August 6, 1942, and did his training at Fort Francis E. Warren, Wyoming. Robert served in the Air Transport Command as a Corporal. He was part of the China-Burma-India theater of Operations, "The Hump". Robert was killed in action on June 15, 1944 while operating in the North Burma section while flying out of India. He is now buried in the Lutheran Cemetery, Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois, USA.

He was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com