Robert Arnold Nash was born at Carthage, Jefferson County, New York on February 19, 1923. His parents were Leo Arnold Nash (13 Dec 1892 Nov 1968), who was born at Onondaga County, New York; and Inez Mae (Radley) Nash (10 Jan 1896 Nov 1978), who was born at Turin, Lewis County, New York. His parents married at Carthage, New York on August 21, 1919. He had four siblings, all born in New York: Harry Leonard Nash (31 Jul 1920 4 Jan 1993), Yvonne Nash (abt 1926 unk), Audrey Nash (abt 1929 unk), and Charles Nash (abt 1933 unk). The family moved to Syracuse, New York by June 1925. In April 1940 they lived at 570 Thayer Street in Syracuse. His father was a chiropractor in private practice.
He completed four years of high school, and registered for the draft at Syracuse, New York on June 30, 1942. He was 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighed 135 pounds, and had brown eyes and brown hair. At that time he lived with his family at 511 Thayer Street in Syracuse, and was employed as a weigher by Solvay Process Company in Solvay, New York. He was single when he enlisted in the U.S. Army at Syracuse, New York on January 15, 1943.
He completed Army Air Forces flight engineer and aerial gunnery training, and was assigned to the heavy bomber crew of Lt Robert G. Kraker in the 839th Bomb Squadron, 487th Bomb Group, at Army Air Forces Station 137, near Lavenham, Suffolk, England. The Kraker crew was a replacement crew that arrived at Station 137 by June 5, 1944, and became part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe.
On December 24, 1944, the 8th Air Force launched mission #760, the largest aerial mission of the war, a maximum effort which involved more than 2000 heavy bombers. The mission was to bomb German airfields and supply lines, to stop the German offensive in the Ardennes known as the Battle of the Bulge. The 487th Bomb Group led the entire 8th Air Force on this mission. On this mission the Kraker crew was assigned to lead a Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group which flew as the Low Squadron of the 94th Bomb Group (Composite). Captain Hugh B. Robertson Jr, O-678329, flew in the copilot position as Air Leader, and 2/Lt Morris Schmulewitz flew with the crew as radar operator (aka 'Mickey' Operator).
S/Sgt Nash and three of his crew mates went missing in action on December 24, 1944, when their aircraft, B-17G 42-98019 'Mutzie B', had engine trouble over Belgium while inbound to the target, and Lt Kraker was forced to abort the mission. On the return, an engine exploded and caught fire over the North Sea. S/Sgt Nash and three of his crew mates2/Lt Morris Schmulewitz, T/Sgt William J. McClendon, and T/Sgt Gordon P. Thoromanbailed out and landed in the North Sea up to eight miles offshore from Ostend, Belgium at 1320 hours, in the vicinity of 51°12'N, 2°37'E. Despite search and rescue efforts with boats and aircraft, they were never found.
S/Sgt Nash is memorialized on the Wall of the Missing at Cambridge American Cemetery near Madingley, England.
B-17G 42-98019 crew:
F/O Robert G. Kraker Pilot
F/O Braden M. Souders Copilot
F/O Scott Roberts Navigator
2/Lt Charles C. Collet Jr Bombardier
S/Sgt Gordon P. Thoroman Radio Operator
S/Sgt William J. McClendon Engineer
Sgt Leon A. Comstock Engineer/Gunner
Sgt Walter S. Deel Engineer/Gunner
Sgt Elwood C. Fry Armorer/Gunner
S/Sgt Robert A. Nash Engineer/Gunner
Source of information: Paul M. Webber, www.findagrave.com