Name:
Robert V. Towle
Rank:
Staff Sergeant
Serial Number:
19139402
Unit:
751st Bomber Squadron, 457th Bomb Group
Date of Death:
2004-10-06
State:
California
Cemetery:
San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery, Santa Nella, Merced County, California, USA
Plot:
Section C-11
Row:
Grave:
Site 185
Decoration:
Comments:
SSgt Robert V. Towle, right waist gunner of the B-17 42-31594 “Sweater Out”, took off from station 130 in Glatton, Cambridgeshire, UK on a bombing mission over Ludwigshaven and Mannheim’s marshalling yards. Enroute the group was attacked by 50 or 60 German Me-109s. The plane’s right wing was shot off in the attack, going into a tight spin from which it did not recover. Lt Whitlow and SSgt Isker did not survive. They were initially buried in the Bergheim cemetery. Towle was captured and sent to Stalag Luft 4 in Gross-Tychow.