Remains of Kansas World War II airman killed in action to be buried

PLAINS, Kan. (KSNW) — The remains of a Kansas World War II airman who was killed in action in Europe are returning to Kansas for burial.

U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Robert C. Elliott was killed in action in August of 1943 during what is considered to be one of the bloodiest air campaigns of all time, Operation Tidalwave. He was an assistant engineer on a B-24 Liberator nicknamed the Damfino.

The Liberator earned the nickname “The Flying Coffin” because it was not as durable as the B-17, and its heavy controls made it difficult to fly. Of the 178 B-24s that took part in Operation Tidalwave, only 88 made it back to their home base in Lybia.

Elliott’s remains were finally identified in February. They will be interred on Tuesday, August 1, at Plains Cemetery in his hometown of Plains.