Robert Winfred “Bob” Harriman was born at Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin on June 13, 1921. His parents were Harry Winfred 'Win' Harriman (7 Sep 1874 – 1958), who was born at Lake Crystal, Blue Earth County, Minnesota; and Amy Blanche (Oliver) Harriman (19 Nov 1883 – Jun 1976), who was born in Wisconsin. In 1900 his parents were both students at Wayland Academy, a private school in Beaver Dam, Dodge County, Wisconsin. By 1905 his mother was a teacher at Fall River, Columbia County, Wisconsin. His father attended the University of Chicago, where he earned a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1909 and a Juris Doctor degree in 1911. His parents married on September 12, 1915. In 1918 they lived at 2904 Galena Street, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. At that time his father was a lawyer with the firm of Kleist, Harriman & Knappe at 609 Caswell Block, Milwaukee; he was also an instructor at Marquette University in Milwaukee.

Robert Harriman had two siblings: Albert Oliver Harriman (17 Jan 1920 – 28 Mar 1985) and Ruth Almina (Harriman) Copps Pino (2 Nov 1922 – 24 Dec 2016). In 1940 the family lived on Morningside Heights in Blooming Grove Township, Dane County, Wisconsin, and his father was an attorney in private practice. His mother's sister, Jane 'Jennie' Oliver (Nov 1868 – 1953), lived with the family.

He graduated from West High School in Madison in 1939, where he played Center on the football team. He completed at least two years of college at Wayland Junior College in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, where he was captain of the football team in his second year. He registered for the draft at Beaver Dam, Wisconsin on February 16, 1942, while he was a student at Wayland. He was 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighed 170 pounds, and had brown eyes and brown hair. He was single when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Madison, Wisconsin on July 8, 1942.

He entered Army Air Forces pilot training in Class 43-J in January 1943, and completed the Classification and Preflight phases at San Antonio, Texas. He completed the Primary phase of pilot training at Fred Harman Training Center, Bruce Field, Ballinger, Texas; and the Basic phase at Perrin Field, Sherman, Texas. He completed the Advanced phase of pilot training at Brooks Field, San Antonio, Texas, and received his wings and commission on November 3, 1943. He went on to a period of Transition training in the Consolidated B-24 'Liberator' heavy bomber at Liberal, Kansas, in order to qualify as pilot in command for that aircraft type. He was then assigned a crew, and completed B-24 crew training at Davis-Monthan Field, Tucson, Arizona. He was engaged to be married to Barbara Jeanne Weiner when he deployed to England.

The Harriman crew was assigned to the 836th Bomb Squadron, 487th Bomb Group, at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England. They arrived at Station 137 by July 5, 1944, and became part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe. The 487th Bomb Group transitioned to flying the B-17 'Flying Fortress' in late July 1944.

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. Lt Harriman's lead crew was chosen to lead the 487th Bomb Group, which led the entire 8th Air Force that day.

Brigadier General Frederick Walker Castle, Commanding Officer of the 4th Bomb Wing, flew as air leader with Lt Harriman's crew. The 487th Bomb Group's target was the airfield at Babenhausen, Germany, but the formation was attacked by German fighters before reaching the target. Lt Harriman was killed in action when his aircraft, B-17G 44-8444, was shot down by German fighters north of Hody, Belgium, and just south of Rotheux-Rimiere in the municipality of Neupre, province of Liege, Belgium. Brig Gen Castle and Lt Harriman were unable to bail out and died in the crash. The front portion of the aircraft—carrying Castle and Harriman—crashed about 300 yards from Chateau d'Englebermont. Three of the men who bailed out were killed. Five men survived.

Lt Harriman is buried at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Belgium.

B-17G 44-8444 crew:
• Harriman, Robert W – 1/Lt – Pilot – KIA
• Castle, Frederick W – Brig Gen – Air Leader/Copilot – KIA
• MacArty, Henry D – 1/Lt – Navigator – Safe
• Auer, Edmund F – Capt – Pilotage Navigator – Safe
• Biri, Paul L – 1/Lt – Bombardier – Safe
• Procopio, Bruno S – 1/Lt – Radar Operator – KIA
• Rowe Jr, Claude L – 1/Lt – Officer Tail Gunner – KIA
• Hudson, Lowell B – S/Sgt – Waist Gunner – Safe
• Jeffers, Quentin W – T/Sgt – Engineer Gunner – Safe
• Swain, Lawrence H – T/Sgt – Radio Operator – KIA

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