Robert Q. Rollins was born on January 4, 1922, in Hartselle, Morgan County, Alabama. He was the son of William Harvey Rollins and Dicie Itera Shipp Rollins. He attended Morgan County High School and served as the football coach for the M.C.H.S. faculty during the 1941–1942 school year. He had completed his 35th mission and had been in the combat zone since July 1944. He served in the 734th Bomber Squadron, 453rd Bomber Group, Heavy, as a First Lieutenant and Pilot of B-24J #42-50703, nicknamed “Worry Bird” during World War II.

On February 9, 1945, the “Worry Bird” participated in a major bombing mission over Germany, where more than 300 B-24 bombers, escorted by P-51 fighters, successfully attacked the Rothensee oil plant at Magdeburg before returning to RAF Old Buckenham in Norfolk, England. As the aircraft approached base and entered the landing pattern, Worry Bird collided with another B-24, “Spirit of Notre Dame” (42-95102), during the hazardous approach phase near the airfield. The impact was catastrophic, causing Worry Bird to lose control and crash in a fireball at Bury’s Hall Farm in Carleton Rode, approximately 100 yards short of the runway, killing all 11 crew members instantly, while the other aircraft, though damaged, managed to regain control and land safely.

1Lt Rollins is now buried in the Johnson Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery, Danville, Morgan County, Alabama, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, https://aviationtrails.co.uk