1LT. Robert D. McDougall was a Pilot with the 310th Bombardment Group; 379th Bombardment Squadron; stationed in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO).

His Hometown was Arthur, Minnesota.

Friday, 22 January 1943
379th BS War Diary: On January 22, while returning from a bombing mission from the enemy held El Aouina A/D in Tunis, Pilot 1st Lt. Robert D. McDougall, 0-790379 of Arthur, N.D., Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Robert G. Menning, 0-728099 of 510 Broadway St., Pella, Iowa, S/Sgt. Merrell W. Long, 06993921, 141 Locust St., Quincy, Mass., gunner, and Sgt. Harrison J. Hodnett, 18064131 of Rising Star, Texas, were shot down by enemy ground fire over the Green Hill area 10 miles SW of Djedeida, Tunisia. Sgt. Long was the only crew member reported as being found by the American ground forces and sent to an evacuation hospital, but indications are that the other crew members were lost.

379th BS: Extracts from Missing Air Crew Report # 2638: Remarks taken from 379th Bombardment Squadron S-2 mission report. A/C 41-13046 at the time it was hit was flying at 200 feet after leaving target smoke came from right engine and a small blaze was seen. The pilot immediately pulled the plane up to 1000 feet and flew level. Two objects came out of plane and parachutes opened. Then two objects came out of plane on fire. The plane nosed down and crashed into the ground burning furiously. A third parachute was then seen coming down.

A/C B-25; Serial No. 41-13046;
MACR-2638 shot down over Bordj-Toun, Tunisia, by ground fire
P McDougall, Robert D, 1Lt – KIA
CP Menning, Robert G., 2Lt – MIA, POW, RTD, and EUS
N None
B Hodnett, Harrison J., S/Sgt – KIA
E None
R Long, Merrell W., S/Sgt – MIA, seriously wounded, found by US ground forces, hospitalized, EUS
G DeLuca, Matthew P., S/Sgt - KIA
F None

Friday, 22 January 1943
428th BS War Diary:
18 planes on a mission to bomb an airport; El Aouina. The target was blasted and plenty of planes were destroyed. Gunner Billy Duncan caught a piece of flak in his side on the return trip being the first 428th man killed in action over enemy territory. James Lockhart received a head injury. All planes accounted for. Alerted for possible parachute attack as a result of the full moon. Evidence found in the mountains of 2 German officers lived there for 2 days spying on the field

Friday, 22 January 1943
428th BS Mission Summary: (Ops Order ---/mission ---) Group Mission # 29: The twenty--second was a hallmark in our air effort. We participated in our first coordinated attack with disastrous results for the enemy and our squadron’s first tragic results also. Lt. Robert McDougal and his crew of the 379th were lost to ground fire on the return trip. We lost S/Sgt. Billy Duncan from 20-millimeter fire as our planes skimmed the trees 200 feet off the deck. S/Sgt Lockhart, the radio operator on the same ship received a slight head wound.

The target was well bracketed by fragmentation bombs. The Northeast part of the drome was particularly hard hit. The consensus of opinion indicated that numerous aircraft were destroyed.

Intense heavy and light flak was thrown up at the target. Some bursts seemed larger than that of the conventional burst of the 88 mm variety. It approached a barrage type intensity. However it was fire from the “green hill” area on the return trip that caused our losses.

SSGT. Duncan's Crew
B-25; Serial No. A/C No. 2 41-13044
P: Helsabeck, Chester J. "Joe", Jr., 1Lt
CP: Cunningham, Robert L., 2Lt
N: Norvell, Richard T., 1Lt
B: Upchurch, Jerry E., 1Lt
E: None
R: Lockhart, James H., T/Sgt
G: Duncan, Billy M., S/Sgt
F: None

Robert D McDougall