Robert Paul Kaufman (1919 - 1943)

Born 22 Jul 1919 in Indiana, Pennsylvania, United States

Died 1 Aug 1943 at age 24 in Ploiești, Prahova, Romania

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Biography

Robert Kaufman was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (United States).

Robert Kaufman was awarded the Purple Heart.

Robert Kaufman was awarded the Air Medal.

Staff Sergeant Robert Kaufman served in the United States Army Air Forces in World War II
Service started: 22 Aug 1942
Unit(s): 566th Bombardment Squadron, 389th Bombardment Group, Ninth Air Force
Service ended: 1 Aug 1943

Staff Sergeant Robert Kaufman was killed when the bomber he was the tail gunner on exploded on impact when the crew tried to crash land the damaged plane during World War II.

Robert was born 22 July 1919 in Indiana, Pennsylvania.

Robert was a waist gunner on the B-24 Liberator bomber, Sand-Witch - 42-40735-C, participating in Operation Tidal Wave the low-level attack on the Romanian oil refineries at Ploesti on 1 August 1943. His bomber was severely damaged and disintegrated when the crew tried to crash land the plane near the target. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart posthumously for the mission.

He was killed in action 1 August 1943 on a bombing mission over Ploesti, Rumania.

Eyewitness Account of bomber crash by Jack Dieterle, 1st Lieut. Air Corps

I saw Lt Horton just after he passed over the target and had dropped his bombs. His ship caught fire from one of the explosions and it looked to me he was going to try and crash land beyond the town.

Upon landing on what looked like a beach Lieutenants Horton’s ship exploded and burned. I failed to see anyone leave the ship after it crashed and burned.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Missing Air Crew Report MACR 156, Page 8

• Military: "U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947"
  National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Draft Registration Cards For Ohio, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 741
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2238 #200805452 (accessed 28 May 2023)
  Name: Robert Paul Kaufman; Race: White; Age: 21; Birth Date: 22 Jul 1919; Birth Place: Indiana, Pennsylvania; Residence Place: Lakewood, Cuyahoga, Ohio; Registration Date: 16 Oct 1940; Registration Place: Lakewood, Ohio; Employer: George Worthington Co; Height: 5 8"; Weight: 145; Complexion: Light, Freckled; Hair Color: Brown; Eye Color: Blue; Next of Kin: George;
  Household Members (Name):
  Robert Paul Kaufman.
• Military: "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946"
  citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
  FamilySearch Record: KMJP-MFL (accessed 28 May 2023)
  Name: Robert P Kaufman; Marital Status: Widower or widow, without dependents; Race: White; Military Service Date: 22 Aug 1942; Military Service Place: Altoona, Pennsylvania, United States; Birth Date: 1919; Birth Place: PENNSYLVANIA; Arc Identifier: 1263923; Branch Alpha Orig: BI; Branch Code: Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA; Branch Code Orig: 00; Civil Occupation: Clerks, general office; Civil Occupation Orig: 105; Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men); Component Orig: 7; Education: 4 years of high school; Education Orig: 4; Enlistment Day: 22; Enlistment Month: Aug; Enlistment Month Orig: 08; Enlistment Place: ALTOONA PENNSYLVANIA; Enlistment Place Orig: 3202; Enlistment Term: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law; Enlistment Term Orig: 5; Enlistment Year: 1942; Enlistment Year Orig: 42; Event Type: Military Service; Grade Alpha Orig: PVT; Grade Code: Private; Grade Code Orig: 8; Major Force Of Assign: 2; Military Occupation: 6813; Reel Box Card: 06321.149; Serial Number: 33250955; Source: Civil Life; Source Orig: 0.
• AERIAL GUNNER MISSING AUG. 1: "Newspapers.com"
  The Indiana Gazette (Indiana, Pennsylvania) Tue, Aug 17, 1943, page 1
  Newspapers Clip: 125482004 (accessed 28 May 2023)
• FOUR DISTRICT SOLDIERS MISSING IN ACTION: "Newspapers.com"
  Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) Mon, Aug 30, 1943, page 7
  Newspapers Clip: 125481915 (accessed 28 May 2023)
• Robert P. Kaufman Meets Hero Death in Middle East: "Newspapers.com"
  The Indiana Gazette (Indiana, Pennsylvania) Fri, Oct 22, 1943, page 1
  Newspapers Clip: 31751819 (accessed 28 May 2023)
• MEMORIAL FOR SOLDIER DEAD: "Newspapers.com"
  The Indiana Gazette (Indiana, Pennsylvania) Mon, Nov 15, 1943, page 1
  Newspapers Clip: 125481736 (accessed 28 May 2023)
  • Memorial: "Newspapers.com"
    The Indiana Gazette (Indiana, Pennsylvania) Mon, Nov 15, 1943, page 2
    Newspapers Clip: 125481823 (accessed 28 May 2023) Part 2 of 2
• FOR FULL DEVOTION: "Newspapers.com"
  The Pittsburgh Press (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) Sun, Jan 9, 1944, page 34
  Newspapers Clip: 5462061 (accessed 28 May 2023)
• Military: "U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S., Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949"
  American Battle Monuments Commission; Arlington, VA; Cemetery Records
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 9170 #16950 (accessed 28 May 2023)
  Name: Robert P Kaufman; Gender: Male; Rank: Staff Sergeant; Residence Place: Pennsylvania; Type of Medal: Distinguished Service Cross, Air Medal, Purple Heart; Service Number: 33250955; Military Unit: 566th Bomber Squadron, 389th Bomber Group, Heavy; Military Branch: U.S. Army Air Forces; War: World War II; Death Date: 4 Aug 1943; Cemetery Plot Number: D; Cemetery Row: 5; Cemetery Section: Grave: 44; Cemetery: Ardennes; Burial Place: Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium; Mother: Ruth Kaufman Glover.