“Flying Fool, The”
On the mission of 13 August 1944, B-24H serial 42-94991, piloted by Lieutenant Robert J. Andrino, was flying number three position in the element directly ahead of the eyewitness aircraft. At approximately 1200 hours, a few minutes before the IP, a direct burst of flak struck near the number one engine, which likely caused the fuel tank to catch fire immediately.
The fire burned through the wing section behind the number one engine. The plane banked sharply away from the formation and entered a diving turn, then went into a spin. Three parachutes were observed before the rudder broke off; at that point two or possibly three more parachutes opened, with one chute striking the falling rudder and catching fire. The plane then passed out of sight and no further parachutes were seen.
The aircraft struck the ground a few kilometers northwest of Falaise, France, and burned completely. Six parachutes were confirmed by surviving crew members and other squadron aircraft. German captors later confirmed that only six men got out. Four of the ten men aboard were confirmed killed in action.
Sortie Log
A sortie is a single combat mission flown by an aircraft and its crew. The entries below document known sorties associated with this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. This list represents verified flights but may not be complete; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.