Robert Rosenthal (pilot)

Robert "Rosie" Rosenthal (born June 11, 1917 in Brooklyn , New York City , † April 20, 2007 in White Plains , New York State ) was an American lawyer and one of the most highly decorated pilots in the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF ) of the Second World War .

biography

Rosenthal went to school in Flatbush , then to Brooklyn College at the City University of New York . Here he also impressed with his sporting achievements and became captain of the football and baseball team. In 1938 he completed his education at college, went to Brooklyn Law School and graduated here his law degree with magna cum laude from. He was already employed by a law firm in Manhattan when, on December 7, 1941, the American Pacific Fleet was attacked by Japanese forces at Pearl Harbor and the United States entered World War II. A day later, on December 8, 1941, Robert Rosenthal volunteered for the US armed forces and completed training as a bomber pilot.

In August 1943 he was pilot of a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" ( "Flying Fortress" ) of the 100th Bombardment Group (100th BG) (418th Squadron ), the Eighth Air Force (see wiki), in Thorpe Abbotts Stationed , East Anglia , England. The 100th BG soon got the nickname "Bloody Hundredth" ( "The Bloody Hundredth" ) because of its great losses .

And Rosenthal's third mission on October 10, 1943 via Münster in Westphalia also ended in disaster. After the American escort fighters had turned to return to their stations in England, the now defenseless 13 bombers of the group, which also included Rosenthal's plane, were attacked by around 200 German planes. Rosenthal was still able to drop the bomb load on the target, but two engines of his aircraft were hit and failed, a large hole was torn by fire in one wing of the machine and three crew members were wounded. However, through risky flight maneuvers, Rosenthal managed to escape the German fighter planes and return to England. The other twelve machines belonging to the bomber squadron were shot down.

In March 1944, Rosenthal's crew , who had earned the nickname "Rosie's Riveters" through their work , returned to the United States after their 25th assignment. Robert Rosenthal, however, continued his service: "I had to do what I could for as long as I was able." ( "I had to do what I could do while I was able to." )

In September 1944, Rosenthal's plane was hit by anti-aircraft bullets over France and crashed. He managed an emergency landing, but broke his nose and arm in the process. Brought to safety by French resistance groups, he returned to England.

On February 3, 1945, on his penultimate flight, he led the attack of around 1,000 B-17 bombers on Berlin . Although his aircraft - hit several times by anti-aircraft guns - was already in flames, he still dropped his bomb load and stayed in the cockpit until his entire crew was able to parachute themselves. Shortly after he also jumped off, the machine exploded. He landed in one of the outskirts of Berlin and was brought to safety by Russian soldiers. On an adventurous route - via Poland, Moscow, Kiev, Tehran, Cairo, Greece and Naples - he finally returned to England.

After the Second World War was over in Europe, Rosenthal volunteered for deployment in the Pacific theater of war. He was already trained on B-29 bombers in Florida when Japan surrendered.

However, Robert Rosenthal returned to Germany again. This time as Assistant to the Chief Prosecutor of the United States Prosecutor in the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg , Robert H. Jackson . In this capacity he interrogated Hermann Göring and Wilhelm Keitel, among others : “Seeing these strutting conquerors after they were sentenced - powerless, pathetic and preparing for the hangman - what the closure I needed. Justice had overtaken evil. My was was over. " ( "To see these pompous conquerors after they had been sentenced - now powerless, downright pitiful, in the face of the hangman - that was the degree I needed for myself. Justice had conquered evil. My war was over with that . " )

When Rosenthal was traveling to the Nuremberg Trials , he met his future wife, Phillis Heller, on the boat trip to Europe. She was also a lawyer and worked for the United States Prosecutor's Office. The couple married in Nuremberg. The marriage resulted in three children - the daughter Peggy and the two sons Steven and Dan.

Awards

Robert Rosenthal made a total of 53 missions by the end of World War II and was one of the most decorated pilots in the Eighth Air Force . He was awarded 16 important medals: U. a. the Distinguished Service Cross of the American armed forces "for outstanding bravery in battles with military opponents" , the Silver Star , the Distinguished Flying Cross of the United States Army "for bravery and extraordinary commitment in flight missions" . He was awarded the Air Medal a total of 7 times (seven clusters). He received the Purple Heart and the British Distinguished Flying Cross and the French Croix de guerre .

"One of the great figures of the Air Force; a shy, modest, and patriotic gentleman of truly amazing courage and achievement. " ( " One of the greats of the Air Force. A reserved, modest, fatherland-loving man who had astonishing courage and admirable commitment. " ) Air Intelligence Officer Marvin Bowman

In 2006 Robert Rosenthal was inducted into the Jewish-American Hall of Fame .

Web links

• Obituary in the New York Times
• Page of the 100th Bomb Group on Robert Rosenthal (English)
• Robert Rosenthal + his crew (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Jewish-American Hall of Fame (English)