Robert B. Holmes

World War II
-
Fallen

County:
Richland

Date of Loss:

Branch of Service:
Army

Rank:
Captain

Company / Ship / Flight or equivalent:
P-51 44-63214

Battalion / Task Group / Squadron or equivalent:
82nd Fighter Squadron

Regiment / Group / Brigade:
78th Fighter Group

Division / Fleet / Air Force or Equivalent:
8th Air Force
Listed on/in the:
Register of North Dakota Veterans World War II 1941-1945 and Korean Conflict 1950-1953, published 1968

Major Battle/Theatre:
European African Middle Eastern Theater

Circumstances:

Killed in action when he was flying a mission to strafe enemy airfields in the present-day Czech Republic. After strafing two airfields heading towards the third, his plane was hit by flak, and he crashed and was killed near Prague

Biography:

Captain Robert B. Holmes was born on December 5, 1920 in Chamberlain, SD and was from North Dakota when he entered the Army. On April 16, 1945, Captain Holmes flying a P-51 (44-63214) of the 82nd Fighter Squadron, 78th Fighter Group “Duxford Eagles” 8th Air Force out of USAAF Station F-357 (Duxford) was flying a mission to strafe enemy airfields in the present-day Czech Republic. After strafing two airfields heading towards the third, his plane was hit by flak, and he crashed and was killed near Prague. The 78th Fighter Group won was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citations for successfully ground strafing aircraft on five airfields near Prague and Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, on 16 April 1945. A memorial remembers him in Prague-Ruzyne. He is buried in Grave 14327, Block 25, Section C, Ft Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis, MN.