Mystex,
A couple of final comments on Robert L Whitham. He is listed in the July 5 1943 edition of Life magazine (page 37) with next of kin listed as living in Centralia, Washington.
http://books.google.com/books?id=SFA...epage&q&f=true
Edmonds, Washington honors Robert Whitham in their annual Memorial day Program. He apparently went to school in Edmonds. (There is only one Robert Whitham from Washington State killed in WWII, so it would appear to be him).
http://www.ci.edmonds.wa.us/images/1...DayProgram.pdf
The Seattle Times ran an article on Sept 3, 1942 about Loehrl and Whitham getting purple hearts posthumously.
"TWO SEATTLE MEN AWARDED PURPLE HEARTS POSTHUMOUSLY
2nd Lt. Frederick A. Loehrl and Sgt. Robert L. Whitham were killed when their Douglas bomber crashed during the first U.S. raid on Nazi-occupied Holland."
http://community.seattletimes.nwsour...6&slug=1511496