Person    | Male  Born 15/5/1920  Died 18/5/1943

Robert Boock

Countries: USA

War dead, WW2 i

Commemorated on a memorial as having died in WW2.

First Lieutenant Robert Alfred Boock was born on 15 May 1920 in St. Cloud, Stearns County, Minnesota, USA, the eldest of the four children of Alfred Christian Boock (1899-1988) and Helen Madeline Boock née Ewart (1898-1982).

By July 1941 he was living in Coronado, San Diego County, California, USA, where he was employed by the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation.

He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as a Pilot Officer and from 8 September 1942 to 29 September 1942 was assigned to No.71 Squadron based at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey. On 29 September 1942 he transferred to 335th Fighter Squadron in the 4th Fighter Group of the 8th Air Force in the USAAF at RAF Debden.

On 26 January 1943 he was forced to ditch in the North Sea due to mechanical failure in his aeroplane and on 6 April 1943, because of smoke in his cockpit, he made a forced landing 3.5 miles off the coast at North Foreland Lighthouse, Broadstairs, Kent. He was promoted to First Lieutenant on 8 May 1943.

He was killed in action, aged 23 years, on 18 May 1943 when his squadron turned to engage a large group of German Messerschmitt_Bf_109 aeroplanes. In the ensuing dogfight, his Republic P-47 Thunderbolt aeroplane was set on fire and was seen to crash into the North Sea between Knokke and Blankenberge, Belgium. His remains have never been recovered.

As he has no known grave he is commemorated on The Walls of the Missing, at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial, Rue du Mémorial Américain 159, 4852 Plombières, Belgium. He was awarded the Air Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart.

Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Robert Boock

Commemorated ati

Eagle Squadrons

{On the front of the pillar, facing north, into the square, below a carved im...

Read More

Other Subjects

Paul Gary Bristow

Paul Gary Bristow

United Kingdom citizen who died in the terrorist attacks in America on 11 September 2001. Paul Gary Bristow was born on 15 January 1974 and his birth was registered in the first quarter of 1974 in...

Person, Tragedy, USA

1 memorial
Michael Joseph Cunningham

Michael Joseph Cunningham

United Kingdom citizen who died in the terrorist attacks in America on 11 September 2001. Michael Joseph Cunningham was born on 24 December 1961 in Forest Gate, London. He was one of the six child...

Person, Tragedy, USA

1 memorial
David Hartley

David Hartley

Politician and inventor of fireproofing systems. Born in Bath, he moved to London where he met and became close friends with Benjamin Franklin. As an MP, he represented Kingston-upon-Hull and becam...

Person, Engineering, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, USA

2 memorials
John Murdoch Harbert III

John Murdoch Harbert III

A wealthy construction industry leader in Birmingham, Alabama. Married Marguerite. In 2006 two of his children were entangled in a family feud, with Marguerite suing Raymond for profits from the fa...

Person, Armed Forces, Benefactor, Engineering, Philanthropy, USA

1 memorial
Sam Wanamaker

Sam Wanamaker

Actor, director and visionary who recreated Shakespeare's Globe. Born Chicago. In 1952, while working in the UK, he heard that the House Un-American Activities had black-listed him so he decided to...

Person, Cinema, Theatre, USA

2 memorials

Previously viewed

Henry Hunt
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Harry Worth

Harry Worth

Comedian.  Born Yorkshire (Wikipedia has the year as 1917).  Had a TV show in the 1960s. Died Hertfordshire.  We have never met any one who finds him remotely funny. 2022: Correction - we've been ...

Person, Humour, TV & Radio

3 memorials
E. H. Sears
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
H. Williams
War dead, WW2
1 memorial
J. A. Rider
War dead, WW1
1 memorial