Robert S. Christofferson

Era: World War II

Military Branch: Air Force

Robert S. Christofferson was inducted into the Army Air Corps on May 28, 1943.

He was a sergeant and an airplane armorer and gunner with the 751st Squadron, 457th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. He was a ball turret gunner on B-17 bombers. On his 10th mission over Germany, on Sept. 28, 1944, his plane shot down by flak over Madgenburg. He was reported missing in action on Oct. 16. However, although wounded, he managed to parachute safely and was taken prisoner by German troops. He was in six German hospitals while a prisoner of war. He returned to the U.S. aboard the Swedish vessel Gripsholm.

He received the:

Purple Heart,
Air Medal,
Good Conduct Medal,
Presidential Unit Citation
European-African-Middle East Campaign Service Medal
with one bronze battle star.

He was discharged in July 1945.

Source: Hometown Heroes: The Saint Louis County World War II Project, page 57.