Robert J. Meder – First Lieutenant, United States Army Air Corps

A member of the “Doolittle Raiders,” which were the first American forces to attack the Islands of Japan in World War II.

He took off from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet on April 18, 1942. Following their bombing run, he and his crew crash-landed off the coast of China and were captured by the Japanese.

He died of malnutrition and beri-beri on December 1, 1943 while still in captivity. He was cremated by the Japanese and his ashes were located after the war returned home for burial in Section 12 of Arlington National Cemetery.

MEDER, ROBERT J
1ST LT AAF USA
VETERAN SERVICE DATES: Unknown
DATE OF BIRTH: 08/23/1917
DATE OF DEATH: 12/11/1943
DATE OF INTERMENT: 01/17/1949
BURIED AT: SECTION 12  SITE 159
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard