Robert Whitten Creighton was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the son of Robert Emmett Creighton and Annie Cornelia Whitten.
Aircraft B-17G with serial number 44-6702 departed from Calone, Italy on an aerial bombing mission to Berlin, Germany. The aircraft left the formation north of Crux, Czechoslovakia. According to the surviving crew members, Robert Creighton didn’t bail out as he was pinned to the floor because of the spin that the plane was in. Sgt Creighton was taken prisoner of war by the Germans and died the same day. He had completed 9 missions.
Statement from 2nd Lt Ray M. Griffits:
I saw ship #44-6702, flying in number 2 position, feather an engine and drop back in formation. He started to straggle and the tail gunner called in that he had been hit by a jet plane. His tail was shot off and he spun down. We did not notice any chutes.
Crew members
Pilot, 1st Lt William E. Foster
Co-Pilot, 2nd Lt Larue J. Costley
Navigator, 2nd Lt George J. Bouchard
Bombardier, 2nd Lt Angelo L. Marcone
Engineer, Sgt Robert C. Fox
Radio Operator, Sgt Albert W. Taylor
Left Waist Gunner, Sgt Robert W. Creighton
Right Waist Gunner, Sgt Lawrence W. Hulcher
Ball Turret Gunner, S/Sgt Armsted B. Noble
Tail Gunner, Sgt Fedrick L. Kimble
The Chattanooga Daily Times, 7 April 1945
Missing in action is Sgt. Robert W. Creighton, 22, son of Mr. and Mrs. R.E. Creighton, Chattanooga Valley. Sgt. Creighton was reported missing in air action in Czechoslovakia March 24, the War Department notified his parents. A graduate of Chattanooga High School, he volunteered for service in April, 1943, while a student at the University of Georgia. He received his wings in December, 1943, and was assigned to overseas duty one year later. A brother of Mrs. Evelyn Cutts, Jefferson, Ga., and T5 W.E. Creighton, with the army in Germany, Sgt Creighton was assigned to a 15th Air Force Liberator group as waist gunner. He is a nephew of Mrs. Evie Moser and Mrs. W.C. Smith, Interstate Apartments.
- Rank: Sergeant
- Date of birth: 24 December 1923
- Date of death: 24 March 1945
- County: Hamilton
- Hometown: Chattanooga
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 463rd Bomber Group, 772nd Bomber Squadron, Heavy
- Theater: Europe
- Conflict: World War II
- Awards: Purple Heart, Air Medal
- Burial/Memorial Location: Tennessee
- Location In Memorial: Pillar XI, Middle Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Robert W. Creighton
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