Robert Duane Gerren was born on September 24, 1975, in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan. He graduated from Gladwin High School in 1994 and later earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Saginaw Valley State University. Pursuing his lifelong dream of aviation, he joined the United States Air Force and became an Electronic Warfare Officer. After completing Joint Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training at Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida, he received his navigator wings and attended Electronic Warfare Officer Training at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. He subsequently completed initial qualification training at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, where he was assigned to the 20th Bomb Squadron, 2nd Bomb Wing, flying the B-52H Stratofortress in 2007. In addition to his flight duties, he served as Facilities Manager for the squadron.

On July 21, 2008, the ''Louisiana Fire,'' operating under the callsign RAIDR 21, crashed into the Pacific Ocean approximately 30 nautical miles (56 kilometers) northwest of Apra Harbor, Guam, shortly after departing Andersen Air Force Base. Assigned to the 20th Bomb Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, the aircraft and its crew were temporarily deployed to Guam as part of a four-month rotation. The bomber was scheduled to participate in a flyover for the Liberation Day parade in Hagåtña, commemorating Guam's liberation from Japanese occupation in 1944. The aircraft crashed at approximately 9:55 a.m., just minutes before the planned flyover, resulting in the deaths of all six crew members and the loss of the aircraft.

A group burial and memorial service for the six crew members of RAIDR 21 was held at Arlington National Cemetery. Although First Lieutenant Robert D. Gerren's remains were not recovered, he is commemorated through the memorial service honoring the crew's sacrifice.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, en.wikipedia.org, www.af.mil