The Man Behind the Name
Flight Officer Robert L. Burke served as navigator on the 2 March 1944 Frankfurt mission. When the aircraft was set ablaze by flak, Burke bailed out. Narrator Carpenter noted that as he exited the plane at 15,000 feet, the navigator and nose gunner were just behind him, ready to follow.
Burke's parachute opened successfully. The crew roster lists his disposition as 'MIA in Neutral Country,' indicating he came down in a neutral country and was interned rather than returning directly to the UK.
Service record.
Missions flown.
The missions below are those we have been able to document for this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. It is not necessarily a complete account of every mission flown; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.