Marine Pilot Flew 40 Missions in Pacific
A 22-year-old Des Moines marine captain, credited with direct bomb hits that sank two Japanese barges in Simpson Harbor at Rabual, is visiting his parents. Capt. Robert L. Duff, son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis L. Duff, 3915 E 14th was awarded a presidential citation and a commendation medal from Admiral William Halsey.
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The brown haired marine pilot wasn't anxious to discuss his exploits in the Japanese battle zone, but was willing to talk of his fiancee, Betty Doyle of the WAVES, also of Des Moines.
Miss Doyle is a mail specialist, third class, and is assigned to the fleet post office in San Francisco, Cal. They plan to be married as soon as the world settles back to normal, Captain Duff said.
Source: The DesMoines Tribune, September 4, 1944
Robert Louis Duff was born Oct. 19, 1921 to Louis L. and Fay Mercer Duff. He died Sept. 17, 1945 and is buried in Glendale Cemetery, Des Moines, IA.
Capt. Duff served in World War II with the U.S. Marine Corps.
Source: ancestry.com
