World War II Honoree

Robert Priest

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Pateros, Washington

Honored By

LTC Charles T. Borg, USA-Ret.

PILOT IN THE AIR TRANSPORT COMMAND FLYING HIGH VALUE CARGO FROM THE STATES TO OVERSEAS DESTINATIONS IN SUPPORT OF AMERICAN MILITARY OPERATIONS WORLD-WIDE, INCLUDING EUROPE, AFRICA, INDIA, CHINA, AND THE MIDDLE EAST. MANY TIMES THESE FLIGHTS WERE EMERGENCIES SUCH AS THE CRITICAL DELIVERY OF ARTILLERY SHELL FUSES IN THE NORTH AFRICAN BATTLE AT TOBRUK, LIBYA, WHERE THE U.S. ARMY WAS VICTORIOUS AGAINST GERMANY'S FIELD MARSHALL IRWIN ROMMEL. AIR TRANSPORT COMMAND PILOTS FLEW A VARIETY OF AIRCRAFT INCLUDING THE C-47, C-46, C-87 (A MODIFIED VERSION OF THE B-24 LIBERATOR BOMBER) AND THE C-54, HEAVY LIFT, LONG RANGE TRANSPORTS. HE EARNED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.