Carson Max Roberts was born on 27 June 1918. Son of J.V. Roberts of Yreka, Calif. Brother of Doris Roberts of 436 Pine street
Died non Battle 1 November 1944
Buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, CA, B, 156

First Lieutenant
17th Troop Carrier Squadron

1st Lt Roberts was returned from Luynes, Aix-en-Provence, France.

1st Lieutenant Roberts, 17 AAF Troup Carrier Squadron during World War II, killed in action. A former US Navy sailor, he served first in the American Volunteer Group (A. V. G.), nicknamed the “Flying Tigers”, in Burma. He was part of the ground teams at the time. He later learned how to fly and was a distinguished C-47 transport pilot on the African and European fronts. He was awarded the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

On November 1, 1944, a U.S. Army Douglas C-47 Skytrain, A/C 42-92700, carrying 5 crew members including him and 15 passengers (9 American wounded and 6 German prisoners of war), crashed on Mont Pilat, France, during an evacuation mission, killing everyone on board. The airplane hit a mountain and crashed in this place due to poor weather conditions.  The German prisoners were Anton Eppenschwantiner, Bertholdt Hennegriff, Heinrich Loesch, Erich Kimmerle, Max Schman, and Ottmars Spang.

The names of the allies are as follows:
1st Lt. Carson Max Robert, Pilot
2nd Lt. William C. Ward, Co-Pilot
Sgt. Shirley N. Breckenridge, Mechanic
Cpl. Howard E. Kahler, Radio Operator
1st Lt. Aleda Ester Lutz, Nurse
Cpt. William A. Steinhurst, passenger
1st Lt. Roger N. Phillips, passenger
S/Sgt Leonard B. Vasquez, passenger
Sgt Ronald Takara, passenger
Pfc. Ellis Frederick “Bub” Gillespie, passenger
Pfc. Ciro J. Romano, passenger
Pvt. Edwin Beal, passenger
Pvt John Ferrara, passenger
Pvt. John J. Young Jr., passenger

There is a crash site memorial on the edge of the Claude Berthier trail.
https://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=2375&MemID=3110

Chattanooga Daily Times, 12 December 1941
Young Roberts, honor graduate of Tyner High School in the class of 1936, and a former sailor in the United States navy, is now a member of the First American Volunteer group guarding the Burma road. Dr. and Mrs. W.S. Keese, of Bonny Oaks school, received a letter from Roberts last week telling of his work in helping to keep moving the line of supply to the Chinese. Roberts is a former student at Bonny Oaks.

The Chattanooga Daily Times, 26 September 1944
First Lt. Carson Roberts of Chattanooga, co-pilot of a C-47 transport plane, helped spearhead the Allied invasion of southern France by flying unarmed, unarmored transports behind enemy coastal defenses where airborne paratroopers and glider troops were released, a 12th Air Force press dispatch reported. Wearer of the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal for extraordinary achievement while engaged in aerial combat missions in the Mediterranean theater, Lt. Roberts has been overseas more than nine months. He has seen action in Sicily and Italy, and formerly was assigned to the China-Burma-India theater. “Flying in Burma and India was extremely dangerous business,” recalled Lt. Roberts. “We were constantly subjected to attacks by Jap Zeros. One of our planes absorbed 100 bullet holes in addition to losing a wing tip. Another of  our planes was forced to land in the dense Indian jungle.”
A former student at the University of Chattanooga, Lt. Roberts is the son of Mr. and Mrs. J.V. Roberts of Jenkings, Ky.

  • Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Date of birth:
  • 27 June 1918
  • Date of death: 1 November 1944
  • County: Hamilton
  • Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
  • Division/Assignment: 17th Troop Carrier Squadron, 64th Troop Carrier Group
  • Theater: Europe
  • Conflict: World War II
  • Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal
  • Burial/Memorial Location: Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, San Mateo County, California
  • Location In Memorial: Pillar XI, Top Panel
  • Contact us to sponsor Carson M. Roberts

Image Gallery

Click a thumbnail below to view at full size.


Submit more information on this veteran →