Robert Herman Lull was born at Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon on June 10, 1924. His parents were Laurence Marcus Lull (13 Dec 1892 – 11 Jan 1985), who was born at Ridgefield, Clark County, Washington; and Rose (Lachine) Lull (14 Dec 1894 – 2 May 1978). His parents married at Vancouver, Washington on April 25, 1914. He had a brother, Norman Harvey Lull (22 Jan 1916 – Feb 1981). In 1917 the family lived at Ridgefield, Washington, and his father worked as a fireman at Buxton Lumber Company in Buxton, Washington County, Oregon. By 1920 the family lived at Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, and his father was a laborer at an iron works; in 1930 his father was an electric welder of steel pipes; and in 1935 the family lived at North Bonneville, Skamania County, Washington, where his father probably worked as a welder on the Bonneville Dam project. In 1940 the family lived at Elmer City, Okanogan County, Washington, and his father worked as a welder during construction of Grand Coulee Dam at Coulee Dam, Okanogan County, Washington. In 1942 his parents lived at Koontzville, Okanogan County, Washington, and his father worked for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation at the power house in Coulee Dam, Washington.

He completed four years of high school, and later resided at Twisp, Okanogan County, Washington. He was single, without dependents, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Pullman, Whitman County, Washington on November 13, 1942.

He completed Army Air Forces radio operator and aerial gunnery training, and was assigned as radio operator on the heavy bomber crew of Lt Ira L. Ball, in the 836th Bomb Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group. This Group was based at U.S. Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England, and was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe.

On December 24, 1944, the 8th Air Force launched mission #760, the largest aerial mission of the war, which involved more than 2000 heavy bombers. The mission was to bomb German airfields and supply lines, to stop the German offensive in the Ardennes known as the Battle of the Bulge. The 487th Bomb Group led the entire 8th Air Force on this mission. Lt Ball's crew flew B-17G 43-37569 in the number five position of the 487th Bomb Group's Low Squadron. The 487th Bomb Group's target was the airfield at Babenhausen, Germany, but the formation was attacked by German fighters south of Liege, Belgium, before the Allied fighter cover arrived. T/Sgt Lull and six of his crewmates were killed in action when their aircraft was shot down. The aircraft broke up, and most of the wreckage fell in the Ambleve River at Gouffre d'Aywaille, at about 50.4763°N, 5.6577°E. (Gouffre d'Aywaille is the gulf of the Ambleve River near Aywaille—a wider, deeper section of the river just west of Aywaille.) The tail section fell in a small stone quarry near the hamlet of Chambralles, just west of Septroux, Belgium. Two men survived.

T/Sgt Lull's remains were returned from Europe and is now buried in the Almira Cemetery, Almira, Lincoln County, Washington, USA.

B-17G 43-37569 crew:
• Ball, Ira L – 1/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Tomea Jr, Gordon R – 1/Lt – Copilot – KIA
• Sperber, Harold P – 1/Lt – Navigator – Safe
• Broom, John C – 1/Lt – Bombardier – Safe
• Parks, Warren H – T/Sgt – Engineer – KIA
• Lull, Robert H – T/Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA
• Gaudin Jr, Duffy J – S/Sgt – Ball Turret Gunner – KIA
• Conery, John J – S/Sgt – Waist gunner – KIA
• Becker, Cuno V – 1/Lt – Officer Tail Gunner – KIA

Source of information: Paul M. Webber, www.findagrave.com