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F/O Robert G. Strachan
720th Squadron
F/O Strachan was Killed In Action on 25 December 1944.
The aircraft he was on, Passionate Pirate, was shot down over Innsbruck, Austria.
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The above air medal, was awarded posthumously to F/O Strachan.
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Final Resting Place
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Medals Are Returned
I just want you to know that the Air Medal and the WW2 European Campaign medal are both on their way to where they belong.
I started this with an empty heart and a head full of optimism. Along they way, I made some pretty good friends. In fact, I just got done reading a letter from your brother Billy.
Debby, I know we'll probably never meet in person- but I want you to know that the search for your uncle (and you guys too) have meant more to me than ANY one thing I have ever done before. I've spent 33 years wondering "what am I here for?" probably just like everyone else has at one point or another in their lives. I'll tell you, that if my purpose was to bring a smile to your Mama's face for even just a moment- to give her back a little piece of her heart that she thought she'd lost somewhere along the way, then that is my purpose. And I'm more than happy with that.
You see, we lost my wife's mama last month after many years of heart trouble. I never really had a mother of my own and she meant more to me than any birth mother ever could have. I used to sit around with her and show her everything I've found in my search for Ruby- my clippings, photos and reports. She was just as fascinated by the story as I was. She's the one who convinced me to write a book about your uncle. She was so very proud of me... Her last gift to me was a laptop I could take to my jobs and write on during my breaks and lunch hours. I would still love to do so with your permission of course.
Towards the end, when everything was getting bad, I used to take your uncle's medals out back and sit under the stars and pray to him to look after her. I used to beg him to make one last mission and tell God that I need her here with me for just a little while longer. I made a deal with him that if he could do this for me, I'd make sure the world never forgot who he was.
Sadly, not Robert or even God could help her.
Three weeks after she passed, Roberta contacted me. I wonder still if Mama had met Robert up in heaven and told him what I was doing, and the trouble I was having locating her. Maybe, just maybe they both played a part in bringing him home.
I'm sorry for getting all sappy, I just wanted to tell you that this search has become a real life "Field of Dreams" for me ...
Now that this is over, my obsession with World War 2 will continue. As a matter of fact, I've just come into a pair of eyeglasses worn by a General in WW2. I bet his family would love to have them returned to them.... Who knows, maybe I can just spend the rest of my life returning lost items to families to help make them whole again... Maybe this has just been a way to make up for me never really having a family.
Anyway, again - thank you to everyone for everything. God bless you and yours. Your family will always and forever hold a special place in my heart.
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Link To Crew Information
Information courtesy of Ruby Blair
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