Robert E Shank

Lt Robert E Shank was a B-26 Pilot during WWII with the 17th Bomb Group, 95th Bomb Squadron and was shot down over Bergamo, Italy on the way to the Target of Villacidro Airdrome, Italy…. It appears that Lt Robert Shank, Lt Robt. Burch, S/Sgt Nelson Clairmont, S/Sgt Warren Tupper and Sgt Samuel Tracy were all MIA and eventually "Returned to Duty". .. . . . . while Lt Vernon Morris and S/Sgt Robt. O'Donnell were KIA.

The date was 9 August, 1944 and they were shot-down in the B-26 C-45 MO #42-107788 (On a personal note, 9 August was Lt Shank's wife Allerga's Birthday and she was pregnant with their 1st son while he was on his way to the German Stalag Luft VII-A in Germany.)

The MIA went to Robert's father Wilbur E Shank at Letart Falls, OHIO.

World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938 - 1946; ARMY SERIAL NUMBER 15016851
NAME; SHANK ROBERT E ;    RESIDENCE: STATE OHIO RESIDENCE: COUNTY MEIGE
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT; FT HAYES COLUMBUS OHIO
DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY 23  Jan. 1941 as a Pvt in the AC# Air Corps
NATIVITY OHIO; YEAR OF BIRTH  1921;  RACE AND CITIZENSHIP White, citizen
EDUCATION 4 years of high school CIVILIAN OCCUPATION Actors and actresses
MARITAL STATUS Single, without dependents
COMPONENT OF THE ARMY 1 Regular Army

POW; Records of World War II Prisoners of War, created 1942 - 1947
SERIAL NUMBER O&681216 NAME SHANK ROBERT E   GRADE, ALPHA 2 LT Second Lieutenant
GRADE CODE G Second Lieutenant;   SERVICE CODE ARMY  AC Air Corps    AC: AIR CORPS
DATE REPORT: 09  August, 1944 RACIAL GROUP CODE WHITE
STATE OF RESIDENCE Ohio     AREA European Theatre
LATEST REPORT DATE: 08 June, 1945 STATUS Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated
DETAINING POWER GERMANY CAMP 013 Stalag 7A Moosburg Bavaria 48-12
(Work Camps 3324-46 Krumbachstrasse 48011, Work Camp 3368 Munich 48-11) REP

POW TRANSPORT SHIPS

SHANK, ROBERT E    CMSGT   US AIR FORCE WORLD WAR II, KOREA;
DATE OF BIRTH: 11/05/1921 DATE OF DEATH: 09/26/2004
BURIED AT:   SOUTHERN ARIZONA VETERANS MEMORIAL CEMETERY
1300 BUFFALO SOLDIER TRAIL SIERRA VISTA, AZ 85635

NOT Viet NamRobert's Service to his Country ran into the Viet Nam era but he never served in Viet Nam

… the engraving on Robert's gravestone in incorrect. He was a B-26 Marauder Pilot during WWII in the Mediterranean Theatre based out of Sicily (Island at the toe of the mainland, S/W coast of Italy).

After WWII he was re-enlisted as a Douglas A-26 PILOT-Instructor in the Korean War.

INFORMATION is being supplied by Robert's proud son Bob Shank, Jr. of Tucson, AZ. Bob is the eldest of Robert and Allegra Lee (Fadley) Shank's six children; Robert Earl Shank, Jr.(H/R MIssile Systems), Lowell Shank (Special OP's, AF Blue Beret, deceased), Thomas Eric "Tom" Shank (Sgt. VN Vet), Wayne Shank (Capt./Rural Metro Fire Dept), brother Jan Lance Shank (Capt./ Scottsdale Fire Dept) and a daughter Allegra "Alex" Leona Shank.

Bob Jr. served on the Board of Directors of the B-26 Marauder Historical Society (Tucson, home of the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and the Pima Air Museum) for a while as their Executive Secretary. Bob knows just a 'little bit' about 'airplanes' - having studied them, built and flown radio-controlled models, earned his private pilot's license at the age of 27, worked for United Airlines for 9 years, Gates Learjet for 2 years, and Hughes/Raytheon Missile Systems for 26 years …he completely understand airplane aerodynamics!

*** Robert Sr. must have been incredibly proud of his children, having left an enduring Legacy and continued love of Aircraft in his children and extended family. ***