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Biography of Robert D. Crumpton
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Ennis, Texas
Robert Crumpton was a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He entered the Air Corps in May of 1941, and trained in Oklahoma, Arizona, Nebraska, California and Illinois. He served in the 545th Bomber Squadron, 384th Bomber Group in England.
Robert was the top turret gunner in the B-17 the "Lazy Daisey." On September 28, 1944 the "Lazy Daisey" was one of 417 B-17s sent by the 1st Bombardment Division to bomb an oil plant near Magdeburg in north central Germany on the Elbe River. The weather was bad, and only 23 aircraft found the target. Three hundred and fifty-nine bombed the city and 35 bombed targets of opportunity. Twenty-three of the B-17s were lost in combat, and two of those belonged to the 384th Bomber Group in England.
The "Lazy Daisey" with a crew of nine went down over Germany on September 28, 1944. The waist gunner, tail gunner and navigator bailed out and survived, but the remaining six including Robert died in the crash. He is buried in Netherlands American Cemetery at Margraten, The Netherlands.
Robert was the son of Mrs. Stella Parks. He graduated Ennis High School. He is listed under Gold Star on Tabernacle Baptist Church Honor Roll in Ennis, the Ennis Monument and the Ellis County Veterans Memorial. He was awarded the Purple Heart Medal and the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.
384th Bombardment Group Jack Lummus Memorial Park Ellis County Veterans Memorial "We Were Soldiers Once, and Young" by Perry Giles
The information regarding the 384th Bombardment Group is courtesy of Ken Decker author of "Memories of the 384th Bombardment Group (H)," and owner and webmaster of the 384th Bombardment Group website.
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