"Last Known Activity According to his NARA enlistment record, Robert E. Rohrlich was born in New York City, New York in 1921. The form states he enlisted there as an Aviation Cadet on January 7, 1942. The form also shows he had completed 2 years of college (unnamed.) The U.S. Jewish Serviceman Card on file was signed by Mrs. Richard B. Gross as his mother, and also by Dr. Gross (stepfather.)

Rohrlich received training as a bombardier, was commissioned, and assigned to an operational unit in England. There, he was dispatched on 10 combat missions, the first on May 29, 1943, with a crew headed by Lt. Southworth. He also flew the next day with the Broussard crew. He appears to have then been assigned to the Broussard crew. He flew with the Burch crew n his last two missions.

On July 14, 1943, he flew on a raid on the Villacoublay Aircraft Repair Depot,located in Paris, France. The bomber formation was heavily escorted and barely challenged by enemy aircraft, but flak was intense and accurate. Bursts throughout the formation hurled deadly shrapnel fragments through many of the thin-skinned bombers. Many such fragments struck Lt. Rohrlich, inflicting severe head wounds.

Lt Timken, piloting the aircraft, turned for home after bombs were dropped and landed at the first field available in England, Homesley-Smith. Lt. Rohrlich died from his wounds on July 14, 1943.

He was buried in the American Cemetery at Cambridge, England. He lies in Plot G, Row 1, Grave 65."

--from TogetherWeServed.com

Rohrlich, Robert E., 2nd Lt