First Lieutenant Robert Alfred Boock was born on 15 May 1920 in St. Cloud, Stearns County, Minnesota, USA, the eldest of the four children of Alfred Christian Boock (1899-1988) and Helen Madeline Boock née Ewart (1898-1982).
By July 1941 he was living in Coronado, San Diego County, California, USA, where he was employed by the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation.
He joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as a Pilot Officer and from 8 September 1942 to 29 September 1942 was assigned to No.71 Squadron based at RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey. On 29 September 1942 he transferred to 335th Fighter Squadron in the 4th Fighter Group of the 8th Air Force in the USAAF at RAF Debden.
On 26 January 1943 he was forced to ditch in the North Sea due to mechanical failure in his aeroplane and on 6 April 1943, because of smoke in his cockpit, he made a forced landing 3.5 miles off the coast at North Foreland Lighthouse, Broadstairs, Kent. He was promoted to First Lieutenant on 8 May 1943.
He was killed in action, aged 23 years, on 18 May 1943 when his squadron turned to engage a large group of German Messerschmitt_Bf_109 aeroplanes. In the ensuing dogfight, his Republic P-47 Thunderbolt aeroplane was set on fire and was seen to crash into the North Sea between Knokke and Blankenberge, Belgium. His remains have never been recovered.
As he has no known grave he is commemorated on The Walls of the Missing, at the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial, Rue du Mémorial Américain 159, 4852 Plombières, Belgium. He was awarded the Air Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
