BIOGRAPHY for RUSSELL ROBINSON, WWII VETERAN
Proudly Served Our Country and Still Serving Our Community
Russell “Russ” M. Robinson was born in Roanoke, Virginia on April 6th, 1923.
He enlisted in 1942 at the age of 19 and attended basic training in Newport, Arkansas; primary training in Jackson, Tennessee; advanced training in Stuttgart, Arkansas; followed by crew training in Charleston, South Carolina.
After training, Russ became a pilot of a B-24 Liberator bomber and was assigned to the 8th Air Force, 453rd Bomb Group, 732nd Squadron. During World War II, the 453rd was stationed in Old Buck (Old Buckenham), England; a point from where it could conduct bombing missions over Nazi occupied Europe.
From December 1944 through April of 1945 Robinson piloted 34 bombing missions including three to Berlin and five to Magdeburg, Germany. “Arrowhead”, shown in the photos below, was the name of the B-24 Liberator bomber flown on most of the missions. The crew was referred to as “Robinson’s Raunchy Raiders”. His last mission on April 25th, 1945 in Salzburg, Austria was to prepare the city for the American troops which would soon enter on May 5th, 1945.
Russ was very fortunate not to have been shot down or injured but did have one close call when a large piece of shrapnel from anti-aircraft flak entered the cockpit and came to rest next to him. See photos below where he is holding the shrapnel while wearing the same bomber jacket used during the missions in the mid 1940’s. He credits the success of his crew and plane to the hard work of the ground crew, including crew chief, Andy Cumming.
After being discharged in 1945, Robinson remained in the reserves until 1949, where according to Russ, “they did not do much”. He worked as a carpenter in construction and later became an inspector for an architectural firm in Durham, North Carolina.
Russ married Valentina in 1949. They had one daughter Diana “Trutina”, and two sons Mark and Raphael.
Mr. Robinson resides at his home in Roanoke where he continues to use his carpentry skills on projects like picture frames. He is an active member of the 8th Air Force Fellowship Group and gives presentations at venues such as the National D-Day Memorial and Profiles of Honor Tour.
Created DHS 7-24-18