texteittreimrobertduane1942.html

North High School Wall of Honor
Robert Duane Eittreim
Class of June, 1938

Research done by Claradell Shedd, class of 1953. PAGE IN PROGRESS. Need military pictures and copy of DD214 from family to establish a more complete bio page.

Robert Duane Eittreim

Robert graduated from North High in June, 1938. At the time, his next of kin was Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Eittreim, 737 Grandview Avenue, Des Moines, IA.. His service number is 37429557.

Robert Duane Eittreim

Year		Rank		Status

1940	x	Census	x	Lived at 737 Grandview Avenue, Des Moines, IA
June, 1938		Graduated		Graduated from North High, Des Moines, IA
1938	x	Student/Employed?	x	Where? When?
September 10, 1942		US Army Air Corps/ PVT		Enlisted at Camp Dodge Herrold, IA
date	x	US Army Air Corps	x	Basic training where?
date	x	US Army Air Corps	x	Serving in 352nd Fighter Group, 357th Squadron; 369th Fighter Group, 399th Squadron; 399th Fighter Group, 435th Squadron
May 3, 1944	x	US Army Air Corps	x	Left United States
date	x	US Army Air Corps	x	Served in European Theater
August 13 , 1945	x	US Army Air Corps	x	Returned to United States
September 24, 1945	x	US Army Air Corps	x	Discharged
date	x	x	x	Schooling?
date	x	Family	x	Married?
date	x	Employment	x	where and when?
date	x	Retirement	x	Living where?
September 29, 1990	x	Deceased	x	where?
date	x	Burial	x	where?

photo	photo
caption	caption
Robert's photos

352nd Fighter Group, 357th Squadron
The 352nd FG Association was founded in 1983 when 19 veterans of the Group met in Orlando, Florida while attending an Eighth Air Force Reunion. The first official Association reunion was held in Oklahoma City in 1984 with 130 members and spouses attending and later grew to a membership of more than 1,100 veterans of the 352nd FG and 1st Service Group who served at Bodney, England and Chievres and Asch, Belgium between 1943 and 1945 during the Second World War.

The 352nd Fighter Group was constituted in Sept 1942 and activated at Brandley Field, CT on October 1, 1942. Two of its squadrons, the 21st (later changed to the 486th) and the 34th (later changed to the 487th) had long combat histories, but like the newly formed 328th, were short on experienced personnel. Early flight training in the P-47 Thunderbolts was at Westover, Trumbell, LaGuardia and Mitchel fields. Most of the enlisted personnel, Det. "A" of the 1st Service Group arrived in January, 1943.

The Group embarked from New York harbor July 1, 1943, arriving in Scotland July 5th and a few days later reached their new base at Bodney, England. Training for combat became intense those next few months.

The Group flew its first combat mission on September 9, 1943, an uneventful sweep out over the North Sea to escort returning B-17s. Some 40 pilots participated in this mission. Although the 352nd had several minor encounters with the enemy in their early missions, it wasn't until November 26th that Major J. C. Meyer, C.O. of the 487th Squadron scored their first victory-an Me-109 attacking the bombers near Gronigen-the first of many victories for the 352nd.

During WWII the 352nd flew 420 missions, 59,387 operational combat hours, destroyed 776 enemy aircraft and had 29 aerial aces. Returning to the U.S. at war's end, the unit was deactivated.

369th Fighter Group, 399th Squadron
The 369th Fighter Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force, stationed at Stuttgart Army Airfield, Arkansas. It was inactivated on 10 August 1945.

The 369th was primarily a training group during World War II assigned initially to Fourth Air Force, than later to Third Air Force in March 1944. It took part in air-ground maneuvers and demonstrations, participating in the Louisiana Maneuvers in the summer of 1944 and in similar activities in the US until after V-J Day

399th Fighter Group, 435th Squadron
The 399th Bombardment Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Fourth Air Force, being stationed at March Field, California. It was inactivated on 31 March 1944.

Activated during World War II initially as a Second Air Force B-24 Liberator operational training unit (OTU). Reassigned to Fourth Air Force in late 1943 as a replacement training unit (RTU) when Second Air Force switched to B-29 Superfortress training.

	Robert Duane Eittreim Rank US Army Air Corps 352nd Fighter Group 357th Squadron 8th Air Force Needed photo (portrait in uniform) of Robert
Appropriate medals coming: Distinguished Flying Cross

References

The comprehensive list of names from North High's 1893-2018 graduation classes are from Claradell Shedd's North Des Moines High School website. The names of all North High School graduates can be found online at North Des Moines High School website. The names of North High School graduates can be found online at: http://www.ndmhs.com/. Robert Duane Eittreim's class page can be viewed at
http://www.ndmhs.com/pages/yearclass1938(1988.50).html

Eittreim

01/06/16. Died 09/29/90.

Music: "Wind Beneath My Wings"