St. Bonaventure Monastery
Capuchin Fathers
1740 Mt. Elliot Avenue
Detroit 7, Mich.

Nov. 7th 1945

Dear Mrs. Copeland

I am a Franciscan Capuchin Missionary Priest - taken on Guam by the Japanese - and was interned nearly four years in Kobe, Japan.

The B-29 in which your son, Lt. Robert E. Copeland, lost his life was body-crashed by a Jap plane immediately over our prison camp two miles back of Kobe at about 4 AM on March 17th of this year, during the first big raid on Kobe.

I am fairly certain that your son was one of the five killed instantly when the tail-assembly fell (at the body-crash) on a ridge behind our camp. Sgt. David W. Kelley was also one of those five. Only two men survived the crash. Lt. Robert W. Nelson and S/Sgt. Algy S. Augunas - and I hope they are now home.

When the Jap soldiers failed to bury the bodies we internees secretly buried them, and later erected crosses with their names - and marked the spots clearly. Rest assured that we Fathers in camp prayed at the graves and also in our masses for the men.

One of the internees most active in learning all details about the crash is Mr. Harold E. Brinkerhoff (of California) - but I cannot remember his address. I began a letter to you about three weeks ago, but waited to see if I could obtain Mr. Brinkerhoff's address.

Please accept my sympathy at your great loss. These men were real heroes and they helped save many lives - Although the lost their own. Shall let you know if I learn more.

May God grant your son eternal rest!

Sincerely yours,

Fr. Marcian Pellet

O.F.M. Cap

P.S. Fr. Alvin says that he buried Robert's body, and that it had fallen after the tail assembly. He says that Robert's body was in fine condition and that his grave was well taken care of.

Fr. Marcian P.

Click to see copy of actual letter

May he rest in peace . . .

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