Robert S. Croft
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
Status: Featured Story
Photo 1: Mr. Croft during WWII and his Purple Heart.
Photo 2: Mr. Croft in a more recent photograph in his camouflage fatigues.
Photo 3: Mr. Croft's helmet, recovered in France
Photo 4: Mr. Croft's replacement helmet.
Photo 5: Plate given to Mr. Croft in appreciation by the residents of Rhiems (now Riems), France.
Mr. Croft served during World War II.
He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, with the 509th Paratrooper Battalion, as a Paratrooper. He entered the service in December 1941.
Mr. Croft was wounded in action in Italy on February 7, 1944. In combat, Mr. Croft’s helmet was blown off of his head. Fifty-seven years later, he was contacted: someone in France had a helmet marked “Croft,” was it his? It was.
When he was discharged in November 1945, Mr. Croft was a Buck Sergeant.
Mr. Croft was born in Nickerson, Minnesota, the son of Samuel and Amelia (Vostry) Croft. He attended school at Nickerson, Minnesota, through the eighth grade, and then quit school to help his family with work on the farm. He was one of the people who helped create the Proctor Speedway in Proctor, Minnesota, and was an accomplished race driver.
Source: Duluth News-Tribune, March 5, 1944 (see first article, below); Cordell Beacon (Oklahoma), undated, 1999 (see second article, below)
“WOUNDED – Pvt. Robert Croft, 22, paratrooper, was wounded in action in Italy February 7, the war department has advised his mother, Mrs. Amelia Croft, 220 North Third Avenue East. No details were given. Private Croft was born in Duluth [sic], attended school at Nickerson, in Pine County, and entered the service in December 1942 [sic].”
Article: “Local Man’s World War II Helmet Discovered in Southern France”
Fifty-seven years after the concussion from a German shell knocked the helmet off his head, Cordell resident Robert Croft finally discovered where the helmet has been and what happened to the individual who found it.
A member of the 509th Infantry Battalion, Croft was a member of one of the first airborne groups to jump in combat in Africa. After recovering from wounds suffered in Africa, Croft was transferred to Germany.
Croft's group was in the second wave (behind the Rangers) into Anzio where he was wounded for the second time.
Good soldiers were in demand so, upon Croft's recovery, he was sent to Italy where his group crossed the Alps and went into Nice. In a battle that raged in an area between Marseilles and Cannes, Germans began shelling the position held by Croft and others. As the German artillery found their range the shells began to fall closer and closer. At one point, the concussion of an exploding shell knocked the helmet off Croft’s head.
"I had the helmet on," said Croft, "but I didn't have the chin strap on. If I would have had that on it would have broken my neck."
In the confusion there was no time to look for the helmet, so Croft moved out with the others of his group. Eventually he was issued a new helmet and gave very little, if any thought to the one he left behind.
This past January he received a letter from Jean Marie Torrell, a resident of Nenton, France. In the letter she [he] explained that she [he] collected memorabilia from soldiers stationed in her [his] area during World War II. One of the items in her [his] collection was a camouflage helmet with the name "Croft" on the liner.
She [He] had obtained the helmet from the sister of the man who had found it in 1944 and worn it until his death on August 13, 1944. His name was Andre Poumellec and he was a French Freedom Fighter [in the French Resistance] who had served as an interpreter between Unites States troops and the French.
Ms. [Mr.] Torrell had made inquiries through the 509th Association and was eventually able to get Croft's address. She [He] sent him a letter of inquiry to see if he was in fact the previous owner of the helmet in her [his] possession.
By return mail, Croft advised her [him] that he been the first owner of the helmet and requested information about how it came to be in her [his] possession.
Ms. [Mr.] Torrell mailed Croft photos of the helmet as well as a picture of the young man who found and who died wearing it.
Croft is shown in the photos wearing his camouflage fatigue. Also in the photos are the helmet, Croft as a young man, his Purple Heart and other metals as well as a plate given to him in appreciation by residents of Rheems (sic).
