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Obituary

Robert A. Needham

Sixty years ago, Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Needham of Ronan were advised by the War Department that their son, Staff Sergeant Robert Needham, has been officially declared lost. Serving as a gunner with a three-man crew on an A-20 fighter bomber, S/Sgt. Needham was reported missing July 5, 1944. The reports now reveal the plane was damaged by enemy fire over France and was burned. The gunners were forced to bailout over the channel and their parachutes were seen to have opened. The other gunner is reported to have been picked up after a five-hour search, but an all-night search failed to recover S/Sgt. Needham.

S/Sgt. Needham was born Sept. 10, 1922 in Ronan. He was a graduate of Ronan High School and was past master councilor of the Excelsior Chapter of DeMolay, Polson and Ronan. He was employed for several years by G. A. Gustafson Grocery and later went to San Diego, where he was employed in the Flight and Service department of Consolidated Aircraft.

He enlisted in the Air Corps in January 1943. He graduated from Keesler Army Air Field, Mississippi, as a mechanic and received his gunnery training at Harlingen, Texas, and DeRidder, Louisiana. He was sent overseas in January 1944. He participated in the D-Day invasion, in which he was wounded and was awarded the Purple Heart. He also was awarded posthumously a Purple Heart that was received by Mr. and Mrs. Needham.

Brigadier General Samuel E. Anderson wrote the parents:

“Robert was a splendid engineer and gunner, highly respected by the members of his crew and all those who knew him. His loss is deeply felt by his comrades. His devotion to duty and to our country was unswerving and merits the highest praise.”

Ralph W. Hand, chaplain, wrote: “He has been a faithful attender at services, as well as an efficient man at his appointed task. We all miss him very much.”

S/Sgt. Needham is currently survived by his sister Rachel Nowlin and nieces Marilyn Nowlin and Patty Snyder. Rachel’s deceased son, Robert James “Bobby” Nowlin, was proudly his Uncle Bob’s namesake. Bob’s other sister, Jewel, now deceased, and brother-in-law George Stonehocker, are parents of Bob’s four other nephews: Warren, Ronan; Terry and Ginna, Kila; Cliff and Cheryl and Ted and Terralee, Republic, Washington. George Stonehocker still resides on the family farm west of Ronan.

Bob’s only brother, Tom Needham of Somers, and Arlene Moore of Missoula are parents of four daughters: Kimberlie ( Jim) Chenoweth, New Castle, Colorado; Jamie Needham, Nevada City, California; Laurel Havlick, Olympia, Washington; and Linda Turner (Kevin), Corona, California.

Kimberlie received her Aunt Rachel’s flag on her behalf since Rachel was unable to attend the recent Memorial Day ceremony. Cousins also attending were Dan and Jeanie Beavers, Ronan; Lucretia Beavers Simpson and family of four, Spokane; Temple and Carolyn Beavers, West Lynn, Oregon; Bruce Johnson and sister Tyler, Missoula; and Jack and Marge Fay, Ronan.

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