Robert Greenlee Campbell was born on March 23, 1918, in Hillsboro, Washington County, Oregon. He was the son of Robert Lester and Edna W. Wittman Campbell. He was married to Claire J. Cotter Schneider. He served in the 601st Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group, Heavy, as a First Lieutenant and Pilot of B-17 #43-38670 nicknamed ''Ruptured Duck'' during World War II.

On November 2, 1944, Ruptured Duck embarked on a bombing mission targeting Merseburg, Germany, a location known for its synthetic oil production facilities. During the mission, the aircraft sustained damage from enemy anti-aircraft fire (flak) and subsequently crashed near Merseburg. The exact circumstances of the crash are not extensively documented, but the incident resulted in the aircraft being lost. Several crew members survived the crash and were captured by German forces, becoming prisoners of war.

1Lt Campbell was Killed in Action and is now buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Margraten, Eijsden-Margraten Municipality, Limburg, Netherlands. Robert G. Campbell's name is inscribed on the Anstey Window Memorial in Panel 2 (center), on Butterfly 21, in the bottom left wing (section C).

Source of information: www.americanairmuseum.com, www.398th.org