Biography
Bob was the oldest of two children to Henry & Stella Deering in Denver, CO. Bob signed up when he was able to and after finishing pilots' school, went to RAF Ridgewell England on 5 Nov 1943. He flew 6 successful missions. Mom does not think he was killed until years later, which agrees with the bombardier's story that he saw him captured.
Circumstances
533Rd Bomb. Sq., 381St Bomb Group (H) - 30 Jan 1944. Under The Command Of Major John E. Fitzgerald (532Nd), 29 Aircraft Of The Group, Including Ten From The 533Rd Took Part In A Searching Blow On The Important Industrial City Of Brunswick, Only 100 Miles From Berlin. - Mia Crews: 2Nd Lts Robert P. Deering - According To The Bombardier, Whom I Spoke To Many Years Ago: The Aircraft Had Been Hit By Numerous Aa Shots And Was Going Down. As The Pilot, Bob Held The Craft Level While All Others Of The Crew Bailed Thru The Bomb Bays. Bob Landed The "Mary Lou" In A Field W/O Landing Gear And Was Seen To Be Captured. A Photo Exists Of The Craft, Belly Down, In A Modeling Magazine, But I Can'T Locate It Now.