Name:
Robert Joseph Johnson
Rank:
Lieutenant
Serial Number:
Unit:
VF-74
Date of Death:
1944-08-17
State:
Minnesota
Cemetery:
Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minnesota
Plot:
C
Row:
Grave:
7769
Decoration:
Purple Heart, Air Medal, Bronze Star, Distinguished Flying Cross
Comments:
1st Lt Robert Joseph Johnson, born on November 6, 1918, took off from the USS Kasaan Bay as part of VF-74 Hellcat squadron’s bombing mission during Operation Anvil Dragoon in his Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat 58241. Due to poor visibility he and Lt Franck got separated from their flight and subsequently shot down while strafing a Panzer column at 1840. As he was flying so low to the ground there was no time to open a parachute. His body was buried in several cemeteries in France before being sent back to Minnesota. photo research credit to franceremembers.tripod.com