World War II Honoree

Robert Whitaker

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Dallas, Texas

Honored By

William E. Shaklee

Relationship

Friend

WHEN THE WAR BEGAN, HE WAS ALREADY ON ACTIVE DUTY AS A SERGEANT AT ELLINGTON FIELD, HOUSTON, TEXAS, TAKING NAVIGATOR/BOMBARDIER PRE-FLIGHT TRAINING. UPON GRADUATING, HE WAS SENT TO THE BOMBARDIER SCHOOL AT MIDLAND, TEXAS. HE GRADUATED AND WAS COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT ON NOVEMBER 5, 1942. FROM MIDLAND HE WAS SENT TO GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, FOR B-25 AIRCRAFT CREW TRAINING. HIS CREW FINISHED THEIR TRAINING IN APRIL 1943, AND FLEW THEIR OWN B-25 TO A BASE IN TUNISIA, WHERE THEY WERE ASSIGNED TO THE 321ST BOMB GROUP, 445TH SQUADRON. IN NOVEMBER THEY MOVED TO A BASE IN SOUTHERN ITALY, AND LATER TO ANOTHER BASE OUTSIDE OF FOGGIA, ITALY. IN JANUARY, 1944, AFTER FLYING 48 MISSIONS, HE RECEIVED ORDERS TO RETURN TO THE U.S. BY WAY OF CASABLANCA. WHILE FLYING HIS MISSIONS HE WAS AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL WITH NINE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS AND THE PURPLE HEART. BACK IN THE U.S. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO MIDLAND AS A BOMBARDIER INSTRUCTOR, AND REMAINED THERE UNTIL ALMOST THE END OF THE WAR. BY THEN HE HAD BEEN PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN AND WAS DISCHARGED IN NOVEMBER 1946.