Robert Perry McPherson was born on September 12, 1923, in Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri. He was the son of Isaac William McPherson and Kathryn E. Buckley McPherson. He was married to Dora Helen Harms McPherson. He served in the 551st Bomber Squadron, 385th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Tail Gunner of B-17 #42-31917, nicknamed "Off Spring" during World War II.

On July 12, 1944, the crew of ''Off Spring'' took off from Great Ashfield, England, with the 385th Bombardment Group, Eighth Air Force, on the group’s 150th combat mission. Commanded by Captain Richard B. White, Off Spring joined the formation of B-17s bound for Munich, Germany. At approximately 11:50 a.m., while the formation was flying over the area of Perlé, Luxembourg, Off Spring was reportedly caught in the propeller wash of the aircraft ahead. The bomber pitched upward and collided with B-17G 42-102606, Curley’s Kids, commanded by First Lieutenant Robert L. McDonald of the 550th Bomb Squadron. The collision was catastrophic, and both aircraft broke apart and crashed in the area around Perlé and Wolwelange. Of the ten airmen aboard Off Spring, Sergeant Robert McPherson was the only survivor. Captain Richard B. White and the other eight members of his crew were killed. Curley’s Kids likewise lost nine of its ten crewmen, with Sergeant Larry Atiyeh as its sole survivor. Altogether, 18 of the 20 airmen aboard the two B-17s lost their lives in the midair collision.

After the collision, SSgt McPherson successfully parachuted from the B-17. German authorities organized a search for him, including police dogs, but failed to locate him. He crossed the nearby Belgian border, received assistance from the Belgian Resistance/underground, and eventually made it back to England. The 385th Bomb Group Association specifically states that he “managed to escape capture” and joined the underground. Following his military service, McPherson worked as a refrigeration mechanic for the Sedalia Fire Department until his retirement in 1979. He died on April 16, 1978, and is now buried in the Memorial Park Cemetery, Sedalia, Pettis County, Missouri, USA.

Sources of information: www.findagrave.com, www.92ndbg.org, www.385bg.lu