Robert Duke Irvine was born on November 15, 1924. He was the son of Harold R. Irvine and Ruth Shankle Irvine. He was married to Gloria Maud Nixon Irvine. He served in the 32nd Bomb Squadron, 301st Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Waist Gunner of B-17G #44-8186 nicknamed ''Sugar Report'' during World War II.

On December 26, 1944, the B-17G “Sugar Report” took off from Lucera, Italy, for a bombing mission aimed at the Blechhammer oil refinery in German-occupied Poland. During the operation, the aircraft was heavily damaged by German flak, but managed to stay airborne after the crew manually released the bombs. Unable to return to base, the aircraft made a successful emergency landing near Hatalov, Slovakia, where the crew was aided by local civilians and Soviet troops. After spending 51 days in the area, all ten airmen were safely repatriated by mid-February 1945, and continued in it's duty till the end of the war in Europe.

SSgt Irvine died on March 30, 1966, and is now buried in the Garden Of Memories, Metairie, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, USA.

Source of information: www.dnes24.sk