Robert Jack Bertoli (1923 - 2001)

Born 6 Jul 1923 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Died 3 Jun 2001 at age 77 in Toledo, Lucas, Ohio, United States

Biography

1Lt Robert Bertoli was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Robert Bertoli was born in Washington,D.C. to Louis and Catherine Bertoli on 6 Jul 1923. ^[1][2]

World War II Story

Robert Bertoli enlisted with the US Army from Columbus, Ohio on 30 Nov 1942^[3] and entered the US Army Air Corps. He served with the 44th BG, 8th Air Force. On 13 Aug 1944, 1Lt Robert Bertoli was the navigator with the 506th Squadron, 44th BG, flying a bomb run between Le Havre and Rouen, France, when the plane, a B-24 named the "Passion Pit" was hit by flak. The official Missing Air Crew Report stated, "At 1321 hours, this aircraft was hit by flak. #1 and #2 engines burst into flames and it slid out of formation, under control. Nine chutes observed to open before aircraft exploded and crashed.” ^[4]He and the rest of the crew parachuted to safety before the plane exploded, and the entire crew of 10 men was taken prisoner. Lt. Bertoli was taken to Stalag XII-A, but was moved to Stalag Luft I.^[5][6]Stalag Luft I was liberated by Russian troops on 30 Apr 1945.^[7] For his service in the war, Lt Bertoli received the Air Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross.^[8]

Post-War Life

In 1951, Robert married Arlene Jordan^[9] They raised two children. Robert Bertoli died at the age of 77 on 3 Jun 2001.^[10] He is buried at Highland Memory Gardens in Waterville, Ohio. ^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KW6L-1BS : 17 May 2014), Robert John Bertoli in household of Louis A Bertoli, Tract CH-3, Cleveland Heights City, Cleveland Heights City, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 18-34, sheet 7B, family 182, NARA digital publication T627 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012), roll 3049.
2. ↑ "Ohio Death Index, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKGR-LZ2 : 8 December 2014), Robert Jack Bertoli, 03 Jun 2001; from "Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-2007," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2010); citing vol. 32885, certificate number 047867, Ohio Historical Society, Columbus; Ohio Department of Health, State Vital Statistics Unit, Columbus.
3. ↑ "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8GS-VBB : 5 December 2014), Robert J Bertoli, enlisted 30 Nov 1942, Columbus, Ohio, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 126323, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
4. ↑ Lundy, Will. 44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties. United States: Publisher Not Identified, 2005. Print.
5. ↑ Hatch, Gardner N., W. Curtis. Musten, and John S. Edwards. American Ex-prisoners of War: Non Solum Armis. Vol. 3. Paducah, KY: Turner Pub., 1988. Print.
6. ↑ United States, World War II Prisoners of War, 1941-1945, database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29D-MFVQ : 18 February 2016), Robert J Bertoli, 13 Aug 1944; citing Military Service, Germany, NARA NAID 1263907 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
7. ↑ Wikipedia:Stalag_Luft_I
8. ↑ Hatch, Gardner N., W. Curtis. Musten, and John S. Edwards. American Ex-prisoners of War: Non Solum Armis. Vol. 3. Paducah, KY: Turner Pub., 1988. Print.
9. ↑ "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K811-NW7 : 8 December 2014), Robert J Bertoli and Arlene A Jordan, 14 Nov 1951; citing Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States, reference A227392; county courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 2,251,836.
10. ↑ "Ohio Death Index, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKGR-LZ2 : 8 December 2014), Robert Jack Bertoli, 03 Jun 2001; from "Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-2007," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2010); citing vol. 32885, certificate number 047867, Ohio Historical Society, Columbus; Ohio Department of Health, State Vital Statistics Unit, Columbus.
11. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #87694052 Robert J Bertoli

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