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Robert T. Gough

NAME
Robert Thomas Gough
NICKNAME
SERVICE NUMBER
289677
UNIT
VMSB-131
Turret Gunner
HOME OF RECORD
28 Myrtle Street, Springfield, MA
NEXT OF KIN
Mother, Mrs. Alice Gough
DATE OF BIRTH
July 31, 1922
ENTERED SERVICE
July 31, 1940
DATE OF LOSS
February 1, 1943
reported February 2, 1943
REGION
Solomon Islands
CAMPAIGN / AREA
New Georgia
CASUALTY TYPE
Missing In Action
Declared Dead February 3, 1945
CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS
Staff Sergeant Robert Gough was an Avenger turret gunner assigned to VMSB-131. He participated in the campaign for the northern Solomon islands, and on 1 February 1943 took part in an afternoon strike against Japanese ships near Munda. Over the target, the bombers were attacked by a CAP of Japanese fighter planes.

Gough’s plane (TBF-1 05901) was last seen in flight over Vangunu Island in the New Georgia group. It never returned to base; the fate of Gough, pilot Arthur T. Molvik, and Sergeant Gerald H. Champlin (radioman) is unknown. The entire crew was declared dead on 3 February 1945.

INDIVIDUAL DECORATIONS
Purple Heart
LAST KNOWN RANK
Staff Sergeant
STATUS OF REMAINS
Missing in action
MEMORIALS
Manila American Cemetery

Biography:
Coming soon. Contact the webmaster for more information about this Marine.


Articles & Records:

War Diary of VMSB-131, January 1943. Note that the action in which Molvik and Julien’s planes were lost occurred on 1 February 1943.

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