Lonnie Ortega Aviation Art

12" x 15½" Print Size ~ Duo-Tone /Limited Edition 225 Prints Signed by the Artist

Lt. Col. Robert "Rosie" Rosenthal

Robert "Rosie" Rosenthal joined the 100th Bomb Group in August 1943, and on his third mission, was the only pilot to safely return to base following the Munster raid on 10 October 1943. He was later appointed Squadron Commander of the 418th Bomb Squadron, and then the 350th Bomb Squadron. Rosenthal was shot down in France in September 1944, but evaded capture and returned to duty. He was also shot down over Berlin in February 1945 and was picked up by the Red Army. He again returned to duty, flying one further mission. In total, Rosenthal flew 52 combat missions, earning sixteen awards.

Before his enlistment, Rosenthal had worked as a lawyer for a large Manhattan law firm, which he returned to after the war. Still searching for justice, Rosenthal returned to Europe in 1946 to work on the US prosecution team during the Nuremberg trials. He met his wife, fellow trial judge Phyllis Heller, on the journey to Germany.

Robert Rosenthal died on April 20, 2007, aged 89 in White Plains, New York. Robert "Rosie" Rosenthal is played by American actor Nate Mann in the Masters of the Air mini-series.