Robert James Kehoe
2nd Lt 0-752209 614th
California
1921 - 1944
Co Pilot aboard 42-39881 ( Gloria J )
Ardennes cemetery, Belgium
Plot : D , Row : 11 , Grave : 5.
Robert was born Aug 10, 1921, Marin County, California.
In July 8, 1942 he enlisted to the air corps.
In 1943 he arrived in England to join the 401st BG
His last mission, Apr 11, 1944, Target: Sorau, Politz, thier plane was on fire.
Only 2 men survived when the plane blew up in the air.
He was awarded with an Air Medal and a Purple Heart Medal
In 1944, when Robert died on the age of 22 he left behind his family :
His father, James V Kehoe, age 45
His mother, Alma G Kehoe, age 43
His brother, Charles Leroy Kehoe, age 16
His brother, Kenneth Kehoe, age 10
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Back row (l-r): Paul W. Trump - Frank E. Keeney - Richard G. Thill - Gilbert Prager - Edward J. Phillips.
Front row : Robert O. Stine - ROBERT J. KEHOE - Lee S. Miller Jr - Walter P. Empric.
Mission to Politz, Poland, after being hit by flak, the plane had no 2 engine on fire.
They crashed near Isernhagen, Germany.
His father, James V. Kehoe was a Marin County supervisor for 15 years, and operated a dairy ranch
on Pierce Point Road.
He worked as a trick-rider in 1914-1915 for the San Francisco Pan-Pacific Exposition.
After that he did the rodeo circuit for four years.
He even appeared in a silent film shot in San Rafael called "The Heart of Juanita."
In 1922 James Kehoe founded one of Marin's oldest continuous dairy operations.
The dairy was passed down to the brother of Robert, Kenneth "Skip" Kehoe.
And today is owned and operated by the son of Kenneth, Tim, and his brothers, Tom and Mike Kehoe,
who together milk 550 Holstein cows.
The Kehoe family continues to ranch on Pierce Point Road and many descendants of the two
younger brothers are still living in the area.
Tim Kehoe, son of Kenneth, provided a photo of Robert James Kehoe in uniform and told me
something about his uncle.
Robert attended Tomales High School, staying in
Tomales with his grandparents, Ed and Lizzie Bean,
while school was in session.
He graduated from Tomales High School in 1938.
At the time of his enlistment, he was working as a
milk tester for the dairies, going from farm to farm
and taking samples from the cows and testing butterfat
content among other tests.
The following year he attended Washington State
University where he was a resident of Waller Hall,
and was interested in becoming a veterinarian.
His photo appears in the WSU 1939 yearbook as one of the Waller Hall boys.
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Many thanks to Cathy Gowdy for helping me with the story
If you have questions, remarks or information , please feel free to Email me
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