Robert L. Crowder was born on September 28, 1920 in Griffin, Spalding County, Georgia. He resided in Chambers County, Alabama prior to the war. He enlisted in the Army on June 18, 1942 at Fort McPherson, Atlanta, Georgia. He was noted, at the time of his enlistment, as being employed in the manufacture of textiles and also as Single, without dependents. Robert served as a Private and Radio Operator on C-46 #42-61072, 1337th Army Air Force Base Unit, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

C-46 #42-61072 took off, with a crew of 3, from Sookerating, India on a cargo mission to Chanyi, China. They were not heard from nor seen again. It was reported, however, that there was a lot of "icing" on the course they took. The entire crew was lost, it was January 6, 1945. Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until January 7, 1946, 1 year and 1 day after he went missing as was the custom. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines.

Robert 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, www.abmc.gov