Robert Edgar King was born on October 23, 1920, in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. He was the son of Foster Hazard King and Mary L. King. He was married to Mary Beatrice Holder King. He served in the 32nd Troop Carrier Squadron, 314th Troop Carrier Group, as a Second Lieutenant and Co-Pilot of C-47A Skytrain #43-15146 during World War II.

On June 7, 1944, during the operations following the Allied airborne landings in Normandy, the Douglas C-47A Skytrain #43-15146 was participating in Mission “Freeport,” part of the large-scale aerial support for the invasion of Normandy in which C-47 aircraft transported supplies and equipment to airborne units operating behind German lines. The aircraft departed from RAF Saltby, Leicestershire, England, on a mission to resupply Allied airborne forces near Picauville, France, by dropping supply containers. At approximately 06:17, while flying over Gueutteville, about 3 kilometers north-northeast of Picauville, the aircraft was hit by German anti-aircraft fire that struck the left wing, forcing the crew to make a belly crash-landing. All five airmen survived the crash but were captured by German forces and taken as prisoners of war.

2Lt King was held as a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft III in Sagan-Silesia, Bavaria. After the war, he returned to active duty, served during the Korean War, and later retired from military service with the rank of Major. He died on October 30, 2001, and is now buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, francecrashes39-45.net, americanarchive.iwm.org.uk