Robert H. Ade was born in 1918 in Pennsylvania. He was a resident of that state when he was inducted into the Army on November 5, 1941, at Fort George G. Meade, Pennsylvania. He was assigned as a private to the Army Air Corps. His NARA enlistment record states he had completed two years of high school, single with no dependents.
After completing basic training, he received orders to aerial gunnery school. When he graduated from that training, he was promoted to Sergeant and assigned to an operational training unit where he received combat crew training and further instructions in aerial gunnery.
In early 1943, he was deployed to England where he was assigned to the 91st Bomb Group, based at Bassingbourn, England. SSgt Robert H. Ade was the ball turret gunner on B-17F #41-24459, nicknamed "Hellsapoppin'" and assigned to the 401st Bomb Squadron.
On April 17, 1943, he was scheduled to fly as part of Lt. John W. Wilson's crew on the bombing raid against the aircraft assembly plant at Bremen, Germany. Heavy flak was encountered over the target, and after bomb drop and the aircraft attempted to turn to the return route, enemy fighters engaged the formation.
A lone flak burst under the wing, and a fire began in the left wing. Head-on attacks from fighters put a large hole in the left "cheek" of the aircraft, and blew out all Plexiglas coverings. The pilot was shot in the head, the navigator received bullet wounds in all four extremities, the bombardier was hit in the leg on two different cessions, and the co-pilot was severely wounded. The engineer, in the top turret, was also wounded, but dropped down to check the aircraft.
He noted a fire had erupted in the radio room, and was spreading rapidly, being fueled by the oxygen supplies. He opened the bomb bay doors and dropped out of the aircraft through the open doors. By now, the fire had engulfed the interior of the aircraft. Somehow, the four wounded crewmen, including the radio operator, managed to bail out before the ship broke in two at the radio room and crashed in flames near Wunsdorf, near Bremen.
The wounded men were all captured and medically treated by German troops. They remained POWs until war's end. Five bodies were recovered from the wreckage, and were buried at the Waldfriedhof Cemetery in Vechta, Germany.
SSGT Robert H. Ade, service number 33105382 was interred at Plot B Row 32 Grave 26, at the Ardennes American Cemetery at Neupré (Neuville-en-Condroz), near Liège, Belgium, having been awarded the Purple Heart and Air Medal.
Sources: U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946; WWI, WWII, and Korean War Casualty Listings; U.S. Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945; World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas; Missing Air Crew Report #15523; www.91stbombgroup.com/Mary_ruth/Chapter_2.html.
~~~~
Robert was a Right Waist Gunner on a B-17 in the 401st Bomber Squadron and he was KIA due to heavy FLAK near Bremen. His crewmembers and there positions:
1st Lt. John W. Wilson; Pilot
1st Lt. Arthur A. Bushell; Co Pilot
1st Lt. Robert C. Barton; Navigator
1st Lt. Harold Romm; Bombardier
S/gt. Walter Bohaczek; Engineer
T/Sgt. Howard A. Barney; Radio Operator
S/Sgt. Gilbert F. Andrews; Top Turret Gunner
S/Sgt. Robert H. Ade; Right Waist Gunner
S/Sgt. Clifford E. Cadle; Left Waist Gunner
T/Sgt. M. L. Thompson; Tail Gunner-information courtesy Jean Louis Vijgen, FAG volunteer.
After completing basic training, he received orders to aerial gunnery school. When he graduated from that training, he was promoted to Sergeant and assigned to an operational training unit where he received combat crew training and further instructions in aerial gunnery.
In early 1943, he was deployed to England where he was assigned to the 91st Bomb Group, based at Bassingbourn, England. SSgt Robert H. Ade was the ball turret gunner on B-17F #41-24459, nicknamed "Hellsapoppin'" and assigned to the 401st Bomb Squadron.
On April 17, 1943, he was scheduled to fly as part of Lt. John W. Wilson's crew on the bombing raid against the aircraft assembly plant at Bremen, Germany. Heavy flak was encountered over the target, and after bomb drop and the aircraft attempted to turn to the return route, enemy fighters engaged the formation.
A lone flak burst under the wing, and a fire began in the left wing. Head-on attacks from fighters put a large hole in the left "cheek" of the aircraft, and blew out all Plexiglas coverings. The pilot was shot in the head, the navigator received bullet wounds in all four extremities, the bombardier was hit in the leg on two different cessions, and the co-pilot was severely wounded. The engineer, in the top turret, was also wounded, but dropped down to check the aircraft.
He noted a fire had erupted in the radio room, and was spreading rapidly, being fueled by the oxygen supplies. He opened the bomb bay doors and dropped out of the aircraft through the open doors. By now, the fire had engulfed the interior of the aircraft. Somehow, the four wounded crewmen, including the radio operator, managed to bail out before the ship broke in two at the radio room and crashed in flames near Wunsdorf, near Bremen.
The wounded men were all captured and medically treated by German troops. They remained POWs until war's end. Five bodies were recovered from the wreckage, and were buried at the Waldfriedhof Cemetery in Vechta, Germany.
SSGT Robert H. Ade, service number 33105382 was interred at Plot B Row 32 Grave 26, at the Ardennes American Cemetery at Neupré (Neuville-en-Condroz), near Liège, Belgium, having been awarded the Purple Heart and Air Medal.
Sources: U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946; WWI, WWII, and Korean War Casualty Listings; U.S. Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945; World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas; Missing Air Crew Report #15523; www.91stbombgroup.com/Mary_ruth/Chapter_2.html.
~~~~
Robert was a Right Waist Gunner on a B-17 in the 401st Bomber Squadron and he was KIA due to heavy FLAK near Bremen. His crewmembers and there positions:
1st Lt. John W. Wilson; Pilot
1st Lt. Arthur A. Bushell; Co Pilot
1st Lt. Robert C. Barton; Navigator
1st Lt. Harold Romm; Bombardier
S/gt. Walter Bohaczek; Engineer
T/Sgt. Howard A. Barney; Radio Operator
S/Sgt. Gilbert F. Andrews; Top Turret Gunner
S/Sgt. Robert H. Ade; Right Waist Gunner
S/Sgt. Clifford E. Cadle; Left Waist Gunner
T/Sgt. M. L. Thompson; Tail Gunner-information courtesy Jean Louis Vijgen, FAG volunteer.
Robert H. Ade was born in 1918 in Pennsylvania. He was a resident of that state when he was inducted into the Army on November 5, 1941, at Fort George G. Meade, Pennsylvania. He was assigned as a private to the Army Air Corps. His NARA enlistment record states he had completed two years of high school, single with no dependents.
After completing basic training, he received orders to aerial gunnery school. When he graduated from that training, he was promoted to Sergeant and assigned to an operational training unit where he received combat crew training and further instructions in aerial gunnery.
In early 1943, he was deployed to England where he was assigned to the 91st Bomb Group, based at Bassingbourn, England. SSgt Robert H. Ade was the ball turret gunner on B-17F #41-24459, nicknamed "Hellsapoppin'" and assigned to the 401st Bomb Squadron.
On April 17, 1943, he was scheduled to fly as part of Lt. John W. Wilson's crew on the bombing raid against the aircraft assembly plant at Bremen, Germany. Heavy flak was encountered over the target, and after bomb drop and the aircraft attempted to turn to the return route, enemy fighters engaged the formation.
A lone flak burst under the wing, and a fire began in the left wing. Head-on attacks from fighters put a large hole in the left "cheek" of the aircraft, and blew out all Plexiglas coverings. The pilot was shot in the head, the navigator received bullet wounds in all four extremities, the bombardier was hit in the leg on two different cessions, and the co-pilot was severely wounded. The engineer, in the top turret, was also wounded, but dropped down to check the aircraft.
He noted a fire had erupted in the radio room, and was spreading rapidly, being fueled by the oxygen supplies. He opened the bomb bay doors and dropped out of the aircraft through the open doors. By now, the fire had engulfed the interior of the aircraft. Somehow, the four wounded crewmen, including the radio operator, managed to bail out before the ship broke in two at the radio room and crashed in flames near Wunsdorf, near Bremen.
The wounded men were all captured and medically treated by German troops. They remained POWs until war's end. Five bodies were recovered from the wreckage, and were buried at the Waldfriedhof Cemetery in Vechta, Germany.
SSGT Robert H. Ade, service number 33105382 was interred at Plot B Row 32 Grave 26, at the Ardennes American Cemetery at Neupré (Neuville-en-Condroz), near Liège, Belgium, having been awarded the Purple Heart and Air Medal.
Sources: U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946; WWI, WWII, and Korean War Casualty Listings; U.S. Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945; World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas; Missing Air Crew Report #15523; www.91stbombgroup.com/Mary_ruth/Chapter_2.html.
~~~~
Robert was a Right Waist Gunner on a B-17 in the 401st Bomber Squadron and he was KIA due to heavy FLAK near Bremen. His crewmembers and there positions:
1st Lt. John W. Wilson; Pilot
1st Lt. Arthur A. Bushell; Co Pilot
1st Lt. Robert C. Barton; Navigator
1st Lt. Harold Romm; Bombardier
S/gt. Walter Bohaczek; Engineer
T/Sgt. Howard A. Barney; Radio Operator
S/Sgt. Gilbert F. Andrews; Top Turret Gunner
S/Sgt. Robert H. Ade; Right Waist Gunner
S/Sgt. Clifford E. Cadle; Left Waist Gunner
T/Sgt. M. L. Thompson; Tail Gunner-information courtesy Jean Louis Vijgen, FAG volunteer.
After completing basic training, he received orders to aerial gunnery school. When he graduated from that training, he was promoted to Sergeant and assigned to an operational training unit where he received combat crew training and further instructions in aerial gunnery.
In early 1943, he was deployed to England where he was assigned to the 91st Bomb Group, based at Bassingbourn, England. SSgt Robert H. Ade was the ball turret gunner on B-17F #41-24459, nicknamed "Hellsapoppin'" and assigned to the 401st Bomb Squadron.
On April 17, 1943, he was scheduled to fly as part of Lt. John W. Wilson's crew on the bombing raid against the aircraft assembly plant at Bremen, Germany. Heavy flak was encountered over the target, and after bomb drop and the aircraft attempted to turn to the return route, enemy fighters engaged the formation.
A lone flak burst under the wing, and a fire began in the left wing. Head-on attacks from fighters put a large hole in the left "cheek" of the aircraft, and blew out all Plexiglas coverings. The pilot was shot in the head, the navigator received bullet wounds in all four extremities, the bombardier was hit in the leg on two different cessions, and the co-pilot was severely wounded. The engineer, in the top turret, was also wounded, but dropped down to check the aircraft.
He noted a fire had erupted in the radio room, and was spreading rapidly, being fueled by the oxygen supplies. He opened the bomb bay doors and dropped out of the aircraft through the open doors. By now, the fire had engulfed the interior of the aircraft. Somehow, the four wounded crewmen, including the radio operator, managed to bail out before the ship broke in two at the radio room and crashed in flames near Wunsdorf, near Bremen.
The wounded men were all captured and medically treated by German troops. They remained POWs until war's end. Five bodies were recovered from the wreckage, and were buried at the Waldfriedhof Cemetery in Vechta, Germany.
SSGT Robert H. Ade, service number 33105382 was interred at Plot B Row 32 Grave 26, at the Ardennes American Cemetery at Neupré (Neuville-en-Condroz), near Liège, Belgium, having been awarded the Purple Heart and Air Medal.
Sources: U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946; WWI, WWII, and Korean War Casualty Listings; U.S. Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945; World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas; Missing Air Crew Report #15523; www.91stbombgroup.com/Mary_ruth/Chapter_2.html.
~~~~
Robert was a Right Waist Gunner on a B-17 in the 401st Bomber Squadron and he was KIA due to heavy FLAK near Bremen. His crewmembers and there positions:
1st Lt. John W. Wilson; Pilot
1st Lt. Arthur A. Bushell; Co Pilot
1st Lt. Robert C. Barton; Navigator
1st Lt. Harold Romm; Bombardier
S/gt. Walter Bohaczek; Engineer
T/Sgt. Howard A. Barney; Radio Operator
S/Sgt. Gilbert F. Andrews; Top Turret Gunner
S/Sgt. Robert H. Ade; Right Waist Gunner
S/Sgt. Clifford E. Cadle; Left Waist Gunner
T/Sgt. M. L. Thompson; Tail Gunner-information courtesy Jean Louis Vijgen, FAG volunteer.
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Pennsylvania.
Family Members
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
