World War II Honoree

Robert W. Prescott

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Fort Worth, Texas

Honored By

Joseph C. Conger

IN 1939 ENLISTED IN THE U.S. NAVY AS AN AVIATION CADET, TRAINING AT PENSACOLA, FLORIDA. COMMISSIONED AS AN ENSIGN IN 1940 AND SERVED AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1941 WHEN HE RESIGNED TO JOIN THE AMERICAN VOLUNTEER GROUP IN CHINA. PARTICIPATED IN FIVE MAJOR CAMPAIGNS WHILE SERVING AS A FLIGHT LEADER IN THE AMERICAN VOLUNTEER GROUP'S FIRST SQUADRON. SERVED UNTIL THE AMERICAN VOLUNTEER GROUP'S DISBANDMENT IN JULY 1942. RETURNED TO THE U.S. AND BEGAN FLYING WITH THE INTERCONTINENTAL DIVISION OF TRANS WORLD AIRLINES. WAS THE CO-PILOT OF THE FAMOUS 'MISSION TO MOSCOW' FLIGHT OF AMBASSADOR JOSEPH E. DAVIES IN 1942. LATER THAT YEAR HE RETURNED TO CHINA AS A CAPTAIN WITH THE CHINA NATIONAL AVIATION CORPORATION, FLYING MILITARY SUPPLIES INTO CHINA FROM INDIA OVER THE FAMOUS 'HUMP'. HE COMPLETED MORE THAN 300 FLIGHTS OVER THE TREACHEROUS HIMALAYAN ROUTE. RETURNED TO THE U.S. IN 1944.