Robert Darrell Piner was born on April 18, 1925 in Satanta, Haskell County, Kansas. He was the son of Pressley M. Piner and Etta M. Piner. he served in the 562nd Bomber Squadron, 388th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and tail gunner of #42-31802 "Gyndia" aircraft during World War II. A member of the Fisher crew, he was killed when their plane crashed on July 8, 1944 when it was shot down by a flak near Nantes-Gassicourt, France. He is now buried in the Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA. SSgt Piner was one of the many brave Americans of the 388th Bomber Group who lost their lives in aerial operations against the German forces from June 1943 - August 1945.