Stewart Robert A.

Name:

Robert A. Stewart

Rank:

Staff Sergeant

Serial Number:

15332743

Unit:

602nd Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group

Date of Death:

1944-12-30

State:

Indiana

Cemetery:

Calumet Park Cemetery, Merrillville, Lake County, Indiana, USA

Plot:

Row:

Grave:

Decoration:

Air Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart

Comments:

Robert A. Stewart was born in 1924, in Indiana. He was the son of Guy Arthur Stewart and Eva A. Coons Stewart. He worked as a construction equipment driver before enlisting in the service on October 9, 1942. He served in the 602nd Bomber Squadron, 398th Bomb Group, as a Staff Sergeant and Tail Gunner of B-17 #42-102610 nicknamed ''Boomerang'' during World War II.

On December 30, 1944, during a mission targeting Bischoffsheim, Germany, Boomerang failed to make the assembly and was seen trailing smoke before crashing into the English Channel off Beachy Head, UK. All nine crew members aboard were killed in action.

SSgt Stewart is now buried in the Calumet Park Cemetery, Merrillville, Lake County, Indiana, USA. Robert A. Stewart's name is inscribed on the Anstey Window Memorial in Panel 2 (center), on Butterfly 6, in the top left wing (section A).

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