{"id":33465,"date":"2024-02-09T14:28:49","date_gmt":"2024-02-09T13:28:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.historyextra.com\/?p=259478"},"modified":"2024-02-09T16:11:39","modified_gmt":"2024-02-09T15:11:39","slug":"who-was-the-real-robert-rosenthal-who-was-rosie-in-masters-of-the-air","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/rss_feed\/who-was-the-real-robert-rosenthal-who-was-rosie-in-masters-of-the-air\/","title":{"rendered":"Who was the real Robert Rosenthal: who was Rosie in Masters of the Air?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A WW2 bomber boy who later became a lawyer prosecuting Nazis at the Nuremberg Trials, Robert \u2018Rosie\u2019 Rosenthal was one of Bloody Hundredth\u2019s most decorated pilots \u2013 completing 52 missions over the course of the war <\/p>

By Jonny Wilkes\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 09 February 2024 at 13:28 PM<\/p>

\n\n

Masters of the Air<\/em><\/a>, the much-awaited successor to Band of Brothers<\/em> and The Pacific<\/em>, is a drama that tells the story of the American bomber boys in the Second World War<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Apple TV+ series specifically focuses on the \u2018Bloody Hundredth\u2019 who came to England in 1943 to fight Nazi Germany.<\/p>\n

Arriving mid-way through the series is Robert \u2018Rosie\u2019 Rosenthal (played by Nate Mann), one of the many new airmen deployed into the unit to replace the horrendous losses suffered by the bomb group. Alongside Gale Cleven<\/a> (Austin Butler) and John Egan<\/a> (Callum Turner), he is one of the series\u2019 main characters.<\/p>\n

It was meeting Rosenthal in real life that inspired historian Donald L Miller to write the book on which Masters of the Air<\/em> is based.<\/p>\n\n<p>Rosenthal would become one the units\u2019 most highly-regarded pilots, completing 52 missions during the war.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen he was asked about it,\u201d Miller told us in <a href=\"\/membership\/masters-of-the-air-the-real-history-podcast-donald-l-miller\/\">this episode of the <em>HistoryExtra<\/em> podcast<\/a>, \u201che said \u2018As long as Hitler lives, I fly. And it\u2019s not because I\u2019m a Jew, it\u2019s because I\u2019m a human being, and what he\u2019s doing to humanity.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Read more | <a href=\"\/period\/second-world-war\/masters-of-the-air-release-date\/\"><em>Masters of the Air<\/em> release date: when is the next episode?<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Who was the real Robert Rosenthal?<\/h2>\n<p>Robert Rosenthal, nicknamed \u2018Rosie\u2019, was not only a pilot of B-17 Flying Fortresses in the US Eighth Air Force\u2019s 100th Bomb Group: among the heroic figures of the \u2018Bloody 100th\u2019 in the Second World War, he arguably stands at the top. He flew more than double the number of required missions, earned numerous decorations, and then served as a lawyer at the <a href=\"\/period\/second-world-war\/nazis-who-trial-nuremburg-after-ww2\/\">Nuremberg Trials<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Jewish New Yorker, born on 11 June 1917, had only recently graduated from law school and joined a large firm in Manhattan when the Japanese launched their surprise attack on <a href=\"\/period\/second-world-war\/pearl-harbor-facts-date-live-infamy-franklin-roosevelt-japan-surprise-attack-americans\/\">Pearl Harbor<\/a> on 7 December 1941.<\/p>\n<p>The next day, he signed up and requested to be a bomber pilot as he believed that would cause the greatest damage to the Nazi regime.<\/p>\n<p>At the Army Air Forces Flight School, he learned to fly in a number of aircraft, including the PT-17, BT-13, AT-6, AT-9 and AT-17, before spending 1943 in combat training with the 19th Bomb Group.<\/p>\n<p>It was there that he got to grips with the B-17, a heavy bomber that flew at high altitudes and carried a crew of ten men.<\/p>\n<section class=\"highlight \"> <div class=\"highlight__content editor-content\"> <h4>Pearl Harbor podcast series<\/h4>\n<p><strong>Member exclusive |<\/strong> Browse and listen to all episodes in our podcast series on the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor<\/p>\n<h4><a href=\"\/www.historyextra.com\/podcast-series\/pearl-harbor-history-podcast-series\/\">Listen to all episodes now<\/a><\/h4>\n<p> <\/p><\/div> <div class=\"highlight__image-container\"> <div class=\"highlight__image\"> <div class=\"img-container img-container--highlight-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2021\/12\/Pod-Pearl-Harbor-FB-2460cb7.jpg?quality=45&resize=556,556\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2021\/12\/Pod-Pearl-Harbor-FB-2460cb7.jpg?quality=45&resize=615,615 615w, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2021\/12\/Pod-Pearl-Harbor-FB-2460cb7.jpg?quality=45&resize=410,410 410w, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2021\/12\/Pod-Pearl-Harbor-FB-2460cb7.jpg?quality=90&resize=205,205 205w, \" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) 615px, (min-width: 768px) 410px, (min-width: 576px) 205px, calc(100vw - 20px)\" width=\"556\" height=\"556\" class=\"img-container__image img-fluid wp-image-193872 alignnone size-highlight_image img-container__image\" alt=\"Pod Pearl Harbor FB\" title=\"Pod Pearl Harbor FB\"\/><\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/section> <h2>What did Robert Rosenthal do during the Second World War?<\/h2>\n<p>In August 1943, Rosenthal joined the 100th at their English base Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk, as flight commander of the 418th bomb squadron.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI couldn\u2019t wait to get over there,\u201d he recalled. \u201cWhen I finally arrived, I thought I was at the centre of the world, the place where the democracies were gathering to defeat the Nazis. I was right where I wanted to be.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rosenthal, an older man in the youthful 100th, quickly proved himself a natural leader. He had been captain of both his football and baseball teams at college.<\/p>\n<p>He expected a lot from his crew, and took the responsibility of their safety as a deep personal commitment; one that would be put to the test.<\/p>\n<p>One of the 100th\u2019s most disastrous days \u2013 confirming its status as the \u2018Bloody Hundredth\u2019 \u2013 was 10 October 1943, when 13 planes joined a raid on the city of Munster. Hundreds of enemy fighters and heavy flak caused havoc.<\/p>\n<p>Rosenthal\u2019s B-17, <em>Royal Flush<\/em>, had two dead engines, a hole in the wing, a damaged oxygen system, and three injured crewmen, yet he stayed on the bomb run and managed to pilot back to England, using violent evasive manoeuvres to escape relentless attacks. Royal Flush was the only plane from the 100th to return that day, for which Rosenthal was awarded the Silver Star.<\/p>\n<p>A B-17 crew had to fly 25 missions to complete their service, which Rosenthal achieved by March 1944. Instead of heading back to the US, he stayed and, aboard his plane Rosie\u2019s Riveters, carried on flying missions over Europe. He was promoted to major and made squadron commander of the 350th, a position once held by Gale \u2018Buck\u2019 Cleven before he was shot down.<\/p>\n<p>Rosenthal was shot down himself, twice. The first came over France on 10 September 1944, during which he broke his arm but evaded capture.<\/p>\n<p>Then after returning as squadron commander of the 418th \u2013 previously led by John \u2018Bucky\u2019 Egan \u2013 he was shot down again on 3 February 1945 over Berlin. He broke the same arm, and again fell into friendly hands. He returned to England via the Soviet Union, then Poland, Iran, Egypt, Greece and Italy.<\/p>\n<p>Rosenthal wanted to return to flight operations even then, but was refused. In all, he flew 52 combat missions and was awarded 16 decorations, including the Croix de Guerre from the French and Distinguished Flying Cross from the British.<\/p>\n<p>After <a href=\"\/period\/second-world-war\/brief-guide-ve-day-victory-europe-ww2\/\">VE Day<\/a>, he volunteered for the Pacific theatre, and was training on B-29 bombers when the war ended.<\/p>\n<h2>What happened to Robert Rosenthal after the war?<\/h2>\n<p>Honourably discharged as a lieutenant colonel, Rosenthal returned to his law firm in New York. It would not be long before he returned to Europe, though, as part of the prosecution team for the Nuremberg Trials, bringing captured Nazi leaders to justice.<\/p>\n<p>On the boat journey across the Atlantic in 1946, he met a fellow lawyer, Phyllis Heller, and they were engaged ten days later.<\/p>\n<p>Married in September, they enjoyed a honeymoon of sorts at the Wolf\u2019s Lair, <a href=\"\/period\/second-world-war\/adolf-hitler-fuhrer-facts-guide-rise-nazi-dictator-biography-pictures\/\">Adolf Hitler<\/a>\u2019s headquarters on the Eastern Front. At Nuremberg, Rosenthal interrogated the field marshal Wilhelm Keitel and the inner circle Nazi leader, Hermann Goring.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSeeing these strutting conquerors after they were sentenced \u2013 powerless, pathetic and preparing for the hangman \u2013 was the closure I needed,\u201d he later said. \u201cJustice had overtaken evil. My war was over.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>How did Robert Rosenthal die?<\/h2>\n<p>Rosenthal was preparing to have his first child with Phyllis while still in Germany. By the time of his death on 20 April 2007, just over a month before his 90th birthday, he was three-times a father, four-times a grandfather and two-times a great-grandfather.<\/p>\n<section class=\"highlight \"> <div class=\"highlight__content editor-content\"> <h4><a href=\"..\/membership\/opinion-ww2-drama-masters-of-the-air-perpetuates-americas-myth-of-the-good-war\/\">Opinion: WW2 drama <em>Masters of the Air<\/em> perpetuates America\u2019s myth of the Good War<\/a><\/h4>\n<p><strong>Member exclusive |<\/strong> Dr Sam Edwards considers how America views the Second World War and its role in the conflict<\/p>\n<h4><a href=\"..\/membership\/opinion-ww2-drama-masters-of-the-air-perpetuates-americas-myth-of-the-good-war\/\"><strong>Read now<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p> <\/p><\/div> <div class=\"highlight__image-container\"> <div class=\"highlight__image\"> <div class=\"img-container img-container--highlight-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/MastersOfTheAirPhoto010301-d455b74.jpg?quality=45&resize=556,556\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/MastersOfTheAirPhoto010301-d455b74.jpg?quality=45&resize=1025,1025 1025w, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/MastersOfTheAirPhoto010301-d455b74.jpg?quality=45&resize=820,820 820w, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/MastersOfTheAirPhoto010301-d455b74.jpg?quality=45&resize=615,615 615w, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/MastersOfTheAirPhoto010301-d455b74.jpg?quality=45&resize=410,410 410w, https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/7\/2024\/01\/MastersOfTheAirPhoto010301-d455b74.jpg?quality=90&resize=205,205 205w, \" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) 615px, (min-width: 768px) 410px, (min-width: 576px) 205px, calc(100vw - 20px)\" width=\"556\" height=\"556\" class=\"img-container__image img-fluid wp-image-257797 alignnone size-highlight_image img-container__image\" alt=\"Masters of the Air. (Photo by Apple TV+)\" title=\"Masters of the Air. (Photo by Apple TV+)\"\/><\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/section> <p><strong><em>Masters of the Air<\/em> is available to stream on Apple TV+ from 26 January, with new episodes airing weekly until 25 March.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Find out more about Gale Cleven and the real <em>Masters of the Air<\/em> in an exclusive interview with Donald L Miller, author a non-fiction book of the same name on which show is based, on <a href=\"\/membership\/masters-of-the-air-the-real-history-podcast-donald-l-miller\/\">this episode of the <em>HistoryExtra<\/em> podcast<\/a><\/strong><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> A WW2 bomber boy who later became a lawyer prosecuting Nazis at the Nuremberg Trials, Robert \u2018Rosie\u2019 Rosenthal was one of Bloody Hundredth\u2019s most decorated pilots \u2013 completing 52 missions over the course of the war <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":33466,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"6"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2024\/02\/who-was-the-real-robert-rosenthal-who-was-rosie-in-masters-of-the-air.jpg",620,413,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2024\/02\/who-was-the-real-robert-rosenthal-who-was-rosie-in-masters-of-the-air-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2024\/02\/who-was-the-real-robert-rosenthal-who-was-rosie-in-masters-of-the-air-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2024\/02\/who-was-the-real-robert-rosenthal-who-was-rosie-in-masters-of-the-air.jpg",620,413,false],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2024\/02\/who-was-the-real-robert-rosenthal-who-was-rosie-in-masters-of-the-air.jpg",620,413,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2024\/02\/who-was-the-real-robert-rosenthal-who-was-rosie-in-masters-of-the-air.jpg",620,413,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2024\/02\/who-was-the-real-robert-rosenthal-who-was-rosie-in-masters-of-the-air.jpg",620,413,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"A WW2 bomber boy who later became a lawyer prosecuting Nazis at the Nuremberg Trials, Robert \u2018Rosie\u2019 Rosenthal was one of Bloody Hundredth\u2019s most decorated pilots \u2013 completing 52 missions over the course of the war","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/33465"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbchistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}