1st Lt. Robert August Schaloske was born in Forest Park, Illinois, on April 5, 1921, to Daniel Schaloske and Emilie Lengert-Schaloske and had one sister. The family resided at 236 Lathorp Avenue, Forest Park, and his father died in 1930. He graduated from Saint John Lutheran School and then Proviso Township High School in 1939. After high school, he was employed by Western Tire & Automotive.
Robert registered with Selective Service on February 16, 1942, and named his friend, Jerry Griffith, as his contact person. Knowing he was going to be drafted into the army, he enlisted in the US Army and issued the serial number 16 129 485. He was offered the opportunity to join the Air Corps because of his score on the Army General Classification Test and that his civilian job skills would be best used in the Air Corps. As an aviation cadet, it is known that he trained at Camp Hulen Army Airfield, Texas, Enid Field, Oklahoma, where he completed a nine week course, Aloe Field, Texas, where he completed flight school and was commissioned a second lieutenant on January 7, 1944. His new serial number was O 705 624. He also trained at Sarasota Army Airfield, Florida, and Dale Mabry Airfield, Florida. The last two were training centers for replacement pilots.
Having completed his pilot training he was sent overseas and became a member of 315th Fighter Squadron, 324th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force. Which, at that time, flew P-40F fighters. It appears he joined the unit in Tunisia, North Africa. It is known his unit was moved to Cercola, Italy, October 27, 1943; LeBanca, Italy, June 7, 1944; Matalto di Castro, Italy, June 15, 1944. It was at this time, the squadron’s P-40s were replaced with P-47s which were fighter bombers. The 315th was at Corsica, July 19, 1944; Le Luc , France, August 22, 1944; Istres, France, September 1, 1944; Amberieu, France, September 6, 1944; and Tavaux, France September 17, 1944. At some point, Robert was promoted to first lieutenant.
During its missions against Germany the 315th attacked motor transports, rolling stock, rail lines, troops, bridges, gun emplacements, and supply depots What is known is that on December 16, 1944, the 315th was sent on a mission to Munster, Germany at 10:35 am. Weather conditions were described as being mostly clear with light scatter clouds. During the mission, Robert’s plane, a P-47-27RE, Serial Number 42-26852, was hit by enemy fire near Colmar, Germany, and crashed about five miles southeast of the German town.
2nd Lt. Clarence W. Fisher, a pilot of another plane, stated, “As I pulled up off my dive bombing run, I observed two P-47 aircraft one of the aircraft was smoking slightly as if a burst of power were added. I broke right and glanced back to observe my bomb hits and I lost the two P-47s momentarily and when I again sighted them one P-47 was spinning out of control toward me. I kicked my A/C out of the way and in doing so I observed that the P-47 was burning. The plane hit the ground and exploded, I did not observe a parachute.”
Another pilot, 1st Lt. David L. Giltner stated, “After pulling off my dive bomb run I observed a P-47 aircraft in what looked like someone diving through our string formation. However, and instant after I saw this airplane I saw a parachute fully opened slightly above and east of where I first observed the airplane. We got flak from the target, but I do not know if Lt. Schaloske was hit, the airplane was too far away from me to see any details such as flame or smoke. I did not watch the plane crash. I flew by the parachute about two hundred to the west. I could clearly see the occupant sitting erectly in the seat. The parachute had ceased to oscillate by then and everything was apparently in good order for a normal decent. I observed the location to be two or three miles (possibly more) southeast of Colmar.”
Records show he was reported Missing in Action on December 16, 1944. A telegram was sent to his mother on January 2, 1945.
MRS EMILIE SCHALOSKE
236 NORTH LATHROP AVENUE
FOREST PARK ILLINOIS
THE SECRETARY OF WAR DESIRES ME TO EXPRESS HIS DEEP REGRET THAT YOUR SON FIRST LIEUTENANT ROBERT A SCHALOSKE HAS BEEN REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION SINCE FOURTEEN DECEMBER OVER GERMANY PERIOD IF FURTHER DETAILS OR OTHER INFORMATION ARE RECEIVED YOU WILL BE PROMPTLY NOTIED PERIOD
ULIO
THE ADJUTANT GENERAL
The telegram was followed by a letter.
Mrs. Emilie Schaloske
236 North Lathorp Avenue
Forest Park, Illinois
Dear Mrs. Schaloske:
This letter is to confirm my recent telegram in which you were regretfully informed that your son, First Lieutenant Robert A. Schaloske, O, 705, 624, Air Corps, has been reported missing in action since 25 August 1944 over Germany.
I know that added distress is caused by failure to receive some information or details. Therefore, I wish to assure you that at any time additional information is received it will be transmitted to you without delay, and, if in the meantime no additional information is received, I will again communicate with you at the expiration of three months. Also, it is the policy of the Commanding General of the Army Air Forces upon receipt of the “Missing Air Crews Report” to convey to you any details that might be contained in that report.
The term “missing in action” is used only to indicate that the whereabouts or status of an individual is not immediately known. It is not intended to convey the impression that the case in closed. I wish to emphasize that every effort is exerted continuously to clear up the status of our personnel. Under war conditions this is a difficult task as you must readily realize. Experience has shown that many persons reported missing in action are subsequently reported prisoners of war, but as this information is furnished by countries with which we are at war, the War Department is helpless to expedite such reports. However, in order to relieve financial worry, Congress has enacted legislation which contains in force pay, allowances and allotments to dependents of the personnel being carried in a missing status.
Permit me to extend to you my heartfelt sympathy during this period of uncertainty.
Sincerely yours,
(signed)
J. A. ULIO
Major General
The Adjutant General.
Sources state that Robert, on December 16, 1944, that the Germans reported Robert was being held as a Prisoner of War. German records show that he had suffered second and third degree burns on his neck, head, legs, and arms after his plane had been hit by enemy fire. He was taken to the German Military Hospital III, Surgical Clinical Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany, where surgery was performed on him. It appears his throat and lungs had also been burned. German records show he died from low blood pressure and weak breathing on December 28, 1944.
German records show Robert was buried, on December 30, 1944, in the Tuebingen Cemetery at 4:15 pm, in Section X, Row I, Grave 11. One of his identification tags was sent to the German Information Office in Wehrmacht, Germany, while his other ID tag was buried with him. A cross with his name on it was also placed on his grave. Robert’s death was not confirmed until after the war on June 29, 1945, and his mother was sent a telegram and a letter by the War Department, on July 4, 1945, telling her of his death. She also received a letter from the commanding general of his fighter group.
MRS EMILIE SCHALOSKE
236 LATHROP AVENUE
FOREST PARK ILLINOIS
THE SECRETARY OF WAR ASKS THAT I ASSURE YOU OF HIS DEEP SYMPATHY IN THE LOSS OF YOUR SON. FIRST LIEUTENANT ROBERT A SCHALOSKE WHO WAS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION REPORT NOW RECEIVED STATES HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION 29 DECEMBER IN EUROPEAN AREA CONFIRMING LETTER FOLLOWS=
J A ULIO TTHE ADJUTANT GENERAL
A letter confirming his death followed, but its content is not known.
After the war, in a letter dated February 28, 1946, his mother was provided information on Robert’s injuries and where he was buried.
26 February 1946
Mrs. Emilie Schaloske
236 North Lathorp Avenue
Forest Park, Illinois
Dear Mrs. Schaloske:
I am writing to you in reference to your son who gave his life in the service of his Country during the European War.
In an effort to furnish the next of kin with all available details concerning casualties among our personnel, the Army Air Forces recently completed the translation of several volumes of captured German records.
In regard to First Lieutenant Robert A. Schaloske, these records indicate that he died of wounds 28 December 1944,. Lt. Schaloske suffered second and third degree burns on his face and hands as a result of his P-47 (Thunderbolt) aircraft crash 16 December 1944, 5 miles southeast of Colmar, France. On 30 December 1944, at 4:15 p.m., he was buried in the Tuebingen Community Cemetery, section I, row 1, grave number 11. Tuebingen is located approximately 20 miles south of Stuttgart, Germany.
The Quartermaster General in his capacity as Chief, American Graves Registration Service, is charged with the responsibility of notifying the next of kin concerning grave locations of members of the military forces who are killed or die outside the continental limits of the United States. If the report of your son’s burial has not been confirmed and you have not been notified by the Quartermaster General, that official will furnish you definite information immediately upon receipt of the official report of interment from the Commanding General of the Theater concerned.
May the knowledge of your sons valuable contribution to our cause sustain you in your bereavement.
Very Sincerely,
(signed)
LEON W. JOHNSON
Brigadier General, USA
Chief, Personnel Services Division
On May 6, 1946, the American Graves Registration Service sent a team to the cemetery in Tuebingen, Germany. The team reported that Robert’s remains, and those of other Americans, were recovered in the cemetery. His remains were recorded as X-6206 and taken to United States Military Cemetery, St. Avold, France, and casketed. The AGRS reported that his grave was marked with a cross with his name on it, That the place of his death agreed with all information known about his death, Robert’s German POW records show he was buried in the grave, and cemetery records also show he was buried in the grave and his identification tags were present when the burial took place. His dental records were used to confirm his identification. In the cemetery, he was buried in Plot BBBB, Row 10, Grave 111, on May 26, 1946. In his casket with his remains was buried a bottle containing identification information.
Emilie Schaloske received another letter, dated April 8, 1948, from the Office of the Quartermaster General, Washington, DC, providing her with information on her options for Robert’s final burial. She was asked to complete an enclosed form and return it toe OQMG. (Apparently his mother had moved and contact had to be reestablished.) Another copy of the letter was sent to his mother, and the completed form was received by the office on April 5, 1949. His mother on the form indicated she wanted Robert returned to Illinois for burial.
In May 1949, Robert’s casket was disinterred and by train, on the 5th, the casket was sent to OIC Casketing Point, Antwerp, Belgium, where his remains were placed in a new casket on the 16th. His casket remained there until June 18th when it was placed on the USAT Carroll Victory which sailed the same day. The ship arrived in the New York Port of Entry on June 28th, and his casket remained there until July 28th, when it was sent by train, with a military escort, to Distribution Center #8, Chicago.
On August 2, 1949, Robert’s casket was taken, in a military hears with an escort, to the Zimmerman Funeral Home, Forest Park, Illinois. A wake for Robert was held on the 5th and a funeral Lutheran funeral service for 1st Lt. Robert A. Schaloske, was held on August 6, 1949, He was buried in Forest Home Cemetery, Forest Park, Illinois, in Section 28, Lot 56.
