Robert Arthur ELLINGBOE

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Aviator in WWII

Notes:

In the 1939 Milwaukee city directory, he lives with his father and aunt at 3532 North 16th. No occupation.

In the 1940 census, he lived with his aunt and father in Milwaukee. He had had three years of college and worked as a mechanical engineer for a transport company. He earned $360 in 1939.

He had attended, probably graduated from, Marquette University.

Name: Robert A. Ellingboe
State Registered: Hawaii
Death Date: 5 Nov 1944
Cemetery: Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial
Cemetery Burial Plot: Missing in Action or Buried at Sea
Cemetery City: Honolulu
Cemetery Country: Hawaii
War: World War II
Awards: Air Medal, Purple Heart
Title: Lieutenant
Rank: Lieutenant
Service: U.S. Navy
Service ID: 0-121704
Division: United States Naval Reserve
Data Source: World War II Honor Roll

Inducted from Wisconsin. Other sources show date of death as November 4th and November 3rd.

He was a Navy flier based out of Whidbey Naval Air Station in Oak Harbor, Washington. In World War II, both land and seaplane squadrons home-based at NAS Whidbey Island were deploying to the Aleutian Islands to participate in operations against Japanese naval forces and the Japanese homeland.  Patrol squadrons operating from the NAS Whidbey Island sea lanes and runways since 1942 have contributed valiantly to the nation’s defense.  Aircraft such as the PBY Catalina, PBM Mariner, PV-1 Ventura, PV-2 Harpoon, PB4Y-2 Privateer, P2V Neptune, P5M Marlin, P3A, P3B and the current P3C Orion have been used in the patrol squadron mission virtually around the world while home-ported at NAS Whidbey Island.

4 Nov 1944: Lieutenant Robert A. Ellingboe and five crewmen were reported missing in action during a daylight attack on Toroshimo Retto, the squadron’s first combat mission. Eight VPB-131 Venturas were serving as fighter escort for the Army 28th Bombardment Group’s B-24 Liberators when attacked by ten enemy fighters. Lieutenant Ellingboe’s Ventura was hit and crashed in flames into the sea.

A newspaper report of his being missing was in the December 14, 1944, edition of the Wisconsin State Journal.

Buried:
Honored at but not buried at

Robert married Ruth Ann JAEGER in Apr 1944. Ruth was born on 19 Jan 1923 in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin; died on 17 Jul 2015 in Dane County, Wisconsin. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Beloved husband of Nancy M. Loew; loving father of Jennifer Darby and Christopher Loew; son of Jack and Ruth Loew; brother of Christine Ellickson and her husband Sam; grandfather of Jessica Darby.

Resided in Germantown, Maryland.

His Social Security number was issued in Wisconsin.

Graduated from the University of Wisconsin.

Robert married N.M. JAMES [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]