World War II Honoree

Robin Olds

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Hampton, Virginia

Honored By

Robert Medley Gatewood

Relationship

Fellow 'Cold War' Fighter Pilot

GRADUATED FROM THE U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY, WEST POINT, NEW YORK, AND COMMISSIONED AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT IN JUNE 1943 (ONE YEAR EARLY BECAUSE OF WAR NEEDS). JOINING THE 479TH FIGHTER GROUP, HE SAILED TO ENGLAND IN MAY 1944. BY SUMMER, HE WAS A CAPTAIN IN THE 434TH FIGHTER SQUADRON FLYING A P-38J NAMED ‘SCAT.’ HE BECAME AN 'ACE' IN HIS FIRST TWO COMBAT MISSIONS, CLAIMING TWO FW-190S ON AUGUST 14 AND THREE ME-109S ON THE 25TH. AT THE END OF THE WAR, HE WAS FLYING ‘SCAT VII,’ A P-51 MUSTANG, AND CREDITED WITH 107 COMBAT MISSIONS AND 24.5 VICTORIES, 13 AIRCRAFT SHOT DOWN AND 11.5 AIRCRAFT DESTROYED ON THE GROUND. A CAREER OFFICER, RETIRED AS A BRIGADIER GENERAL.