World War II Honoree

Robert Clifton Hales, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

San Francisco, California

Honored By

Frances E. Hales

Relationship

Wife

APRIL 1942 ENLISTED IN THE ARMY AIR CORPS AS AN AVIATION CADET. ASSIGNED TO KELLY FIELD, TEXAS, FOR INITIAL TRAINING. COMMISSIONED 2ND LIEUTENANT APRIL 1943. ASSIGNED TO LUKE FIELD, ARIZONA, AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. FOR THREE YEARS SERVED AS AN INSTRUCTOR FOR PILOTS FOR THE NATIONALIST CHINESE AIR FORCE WHO WERE SENT TO THE AMERICA FOR FLIGHT TRAINING. THEY WERE THEN SENT BACK TO CHINA TO FIGHT THE JAPANESE AND LATER THE COMMUNIST CHINESE.