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NAME Robert Henry McArdle |
NICKNAME — |
SERVICE NUMBER O-11818 |
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| UNIT VMSB-132 Pilot |
HOME OF RECORD 2009 University Avenue Morgantown, WV |
NEXT OF KIN Wife, Mrs. Marion L. McArdle |
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| DATE OF BIRTH March 24, 1920 at Akron, OH |
ENTERED SERVICE July 25, 1942 (commissioned) |
DATE OF LOSS June 30, 1943 |
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| REGION Solomon Islands |
CAMPAIGN / AREA Kolombangara |
CASUALTY TYPE Missing In Action Declared Dead July 1, 1945 |
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CIRCUMSTANCES OF LOSS On 30 June 1943, McArdle and PFC Albert R. Irion flew a Dauntless bomber (SBD-5 #10822) in a strike against an airfield at Villa, on the island of Kolombangara. The squadron arrived over their target at 1120 hours and began their attack in the face of “fairly intense” anti-aircraft fire. Lt. McArdle’s aircraft was seen to enter its dive, but was missing when the squadron regrouped for the return flight. A total of seven aircraft failed to return, but all crews were rescued in the week that followed. Only McArdle and Irion remained missing. No trace of the two Marines or their aircraft was ever found. McArdle and Irion were declared dead on 1 July 1945. |
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| INDIVIDUAL DECORATIONS Purple Heart |
LAST KNOWN RANK First Lieutenant posthumous Captain |
STATUS OF REMAINS Not recovered |
MEMORIALS Grafton National Cemetery Manila American Cemetery |
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Biography:
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