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PVT Robert Lewis Craig

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PVT Robert Lewis Craig Veteran

Birth
Newhall, McDowell County, West Virginia, USA
Death
31 Oct 1943 (aged 19)
Thornburg, Keokuk County, Iowa, USA
Burial
Clintonville, Greenbrier County, West Virginia, USA Add to Map
Plot
Section J, Lot 8
Memorial ID
View Source
PVT, 472 BOMB SQUADRON, 334 BOMB GROUP, GREENVILLE , SOUTH CAROLINA, WORLD WAR II

Private Craig was the Flight Engineer aboard U.S. Army Air Forces B-25C Mitchell #41-13262.

Pilot, Lieutenant Floyd Bair, had written his parents telling them that, if given the chance, he would fly over his family home near Thornburg, Iowa.
A week later, that opportunity presented itself when his crew was cleared to fly a training mission from Indiana to Vichy, Missouri.
Lt. Bair diverted a bit to fly over his hometown and put on a show for his parents. He made two low passes over the town and his parents home, drawing their attention and that of the community of about 100 persons. On a third approach from the south, flying very low to the ground, he failed to pull up in time and the tail section of the aircraft struck a 70-foot-high tree in the home's front yard, tearing off the starboard elevator. The plane flew for another one and a half miles, then plunged into a field and exploded, instantly killing Private Craig and the other five fliers aboard.

The others were:

2nd Lt. Floyd V Bair
2nd Lt. Robert J Love
2nd Lt. Robert L Miller
2nd Lt. Roy G Schott, Jr.
S/Sgt. William S Weaver, Jr

Entered the service from West Virginia; ASN 15337452.
PVT, 472 BOMB SQUADRON, 334 BOMB GROUP, GREENVILLE , SOUTH CAROLINA, WORLD WAR II

Private Craig was the Flight Engineer aboard U.S. Army Air Forces B-25C Mitchell #41-13262.

Pilot, Lieutenant Floyd Bair, had written his parents telling them that, if given the chance, he would fly over his family home near Thornburg, Iowa.
A week later, that opportunity presented itself when his crew was cleared to fly a training mission from Indiana to Vichy, Missouri.
Lt. Bair diverted a bit to fly over his hometown and put on a show for his parents. He made two low passes over the town and his parents home, drawing their attention and that of the community of about 100 persons. On a third approach from the south, flying very low to the ground, he failed to pull up in time and the tail section of the aircraft struck a 70-foot-high tree in the home's front yard, tearing off the starboard elevator. The plane flew for another one and a half miles, then plunged into a field and exploded, instantly killing Private Craig and the other five fliers aboard.

The others were:

2nd Lt. Floyd V Bair
2nd Lt. Robert J Love
2nd Lt. Robert L Miller
2nd Lt. Roy G Schott, Jr.
S/Sgt. William S Weaver, Jr

Entered the service from West Virginia; ASN 15337452.

Inscription

PVT, 472 AAF BOMB SQ, 334 BOMB GP WORLD WAR II



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  • Created by: Tim Cook
  • Added: Oct 31, 2013
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/119608485/robert_lewis-craig: accessed ), memorial page for PVT Robert Lewis Craig (26 Aug 1924–31 Oct 1943), Find a Grave Memorial ID 119608485, citing At the End of the Trail Cemetery, Clintonville, Greenbrier County, West Virginia, USA; Maintained by Tim Cook (contributor 46481904).