See also Capt Robert John Rooney Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF)
(FOIA request fulfilled by Government Information Specialist Bryan K. Jolly, Fort Knox, KY)
Disclaimer: IDPF files document efforts to locate, identify, move, notify relatives and provide final resting for Soldier Dead,
often months or years after death, thus some pages may contain potentially disturbing or distressing information.
If you are sensitive, please consider whether to read this or not.
Click Here for information on WWII IDPFs.
"On March 15, 1945 Robert J. Rooney
was
promoted to Captain. He was a West Pointer (class of June, 1943). On 21
March 1945 he made his final mission. In 1945, I was in the 670th BS
and
shared an eight man tent with Rooney. On 21 March 1945, I was 20 feet
behind
Rooney's airplane when it was chewed up by Anderson's airplane. I
had to dodge the pieces of both planes as they came at me. Six lives
were
lost in that event. Back on 18 July 1944, on a mission, Rooney's plane
was
badly shot up. He received a piece of flak through his seat that
lodged
in his body. He crash landed at Ford, England and was operated on
and kept in the hospital for over two months. He rejoined the
squadron
after we had moved to France at A-55 and resumed flying missions.
Rooney
was a very happy and friendly guy. He was well liked by everyone
he
came in contact with."
Submitted by Wayne Downing on 13 June
2007.
Notes:
Pilot's Mission: Combat
Nature of Accident: Mid air collision
Cause of Accident: Pilot error, restricted visibility, and other personnel error.
Description:
Coming back over friendly territory about 25 miles northeast of St. Trond, Captain Andersen, leading the second flight of the first box, was attempting to regain his position in the first box. He slid his plane over the plane flown by Captain Rooney and chewed off its tail. The two planes collided in mid-air and fell to the ground and burned. Lt Kirk, B-N in Capt Rooney's plane, bailed out safely with only minor injuries. All the others were killed in the crash, which happened without warning. Captain Rooney was completing his 65th mission when the accident occurred. The reason for the crash is unknown. Flying with Captain Andersen were Lt W. Babbage, Lt. L.J. Roman, and S/Sgt S.L. Heitell. Captain Rooney had Capt C.C. Slaughter of the Infantry and Sgt. R.J. Kamischke flying with him.
(416th BG History 1945)
That afternoon another mission took off and bombed the Vreden Road Junction and communication center with excellent results. Fourteen of our crews took part. Captain Rooney was leading his flight homeward into the setting sun at about 12,000 feet, when another flight leader, who was also flying into the sun, collided with him. Apparently Captain Rooney tried to get his airplane under control in an attempt to save his crew, but it went into a spin and crashed near Peers, Belgium. All personnel in both airplanes were killed instantly when the aircraft crashed into the ground, with the exception of 1st Lt Robert L. Kirk, Caption Rooney's bombardier-navigator, who successfully parachuted to the ground. Captain Chester C. Slaughter of the 29th Inf Div, who was riding as an observer with Capt Rooney, and Sgt Robert J. Kamischke, the gunner, were killed. Three officers and one enlisted man in the other airplane were also killed. This was Captain Rooney's 65th mission and constituted his tour of combat duty.
("670th Bombardment Squadron (L) History")
See also AAR 45-3-21-517 and Mission # 246
Photos and Documents
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1930 US Census
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Cadet Robert Rooney, West Point, 1943
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USMA Portrait
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US Army Register 1944
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Diary
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Diary
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Diary
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Diary
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Portrait
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Photo
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Photo
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Photo
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Photo
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Mission Description
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A-26 crews of 670 Bomb Sq. at Melun-Villaroche, France, winter 1944/45.
From left to right: Robert L. Kirk (BN), Robert J. Rooney (P), uncertain Johnson, Hugh A. Monroe (P), Unknown, Unknown, Unknown.
Aircraft is 670th BS, A-26B-10-DT, S/N 43-22296, Fuselage Code F6-D, DFN 45.
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US Army Register 1945
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Obituary
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Obituary
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The Town Talk (Alexandria, Louisiana) 14 Apr 1945, Sat Page 7
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Headstone Application
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Headstone Application
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Headstone
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Rosters Of WW II Dead
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WW II Army and Army Air Force Casualty List
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National World War II Memorial Registry
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Source information can be viewed at WWII Military Service Fatalities Sources
