Veterans' Memorial Project
Robert Merwin Pilchard
Urbana, MD
World War II
Captain Pilchard served with the 20th Air Force, 58th Bombardment Wing, 468 Bomb Group, 793rd Bomb Squadron. He was a pilot of a B-29 Superfortress on a bombing mission to Yawata on June 15-16, 1944. In July 1944 it was reported that the aircraft crashed into a mountain 200 miles from Chengut, China, and the entire crew were killed and buried by the Chinese. Captain Pilchard was killed during the early stages of the program that ultimately delivered the atom bombs to Japan. Prior to Mr. Pilchard’s U.S. Air Force service, he had served in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He was a staff pilot at No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School. Captain Pilchard was reinterred with the entire crew at Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Maxwell, Georgia, on February 1, 1950.
– submitted by David Pilchard, nephew and Mr. Wally P. Fydenchuk, Researcher
Further information: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=pilchard&GSfn=robert&GSiman=1&GScid=100645&GRid=3382101&
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