World War II Honoree

Robert Donald Western

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

St. Paul, Minnesota

Honored By

Thomas D. Sonnen

Relationship

Grandson

HE WAS A LICENSED PRIVATE PILOT AT THE OUTSET OF WWII. HE WAS DRAFTED IN THE U.S. ARMY. HE WAS ACCEPTED INTO THE U.S. NAVAL RESERVE AVIATION SPECIALIST (A/S) PROGRAM. HE WAS COMMISSIONED AS AN ENSIGN AND WAS ASSIGNED TO LEWIS SCHOOL OF AERONAUTICS IN JOLIET, ILLINOIS WHERE HE FLEW WACO UPF-7 AIRCRAFT. UPON COMPLETION OF THAT ASSIGNMENT, HE WENT TO AN ARMY AVIATION TRAINING FACILITY IN OCALA, FLORIDA. AT THAT LOCATION HE FLEW THE BOEING/STEARMAN PT-17. HE WENT THROUGH A BRIEF TRAINING PERIOD ON AEROBATICS WITH THE PT-17. THEN HE WAS TASKED TO TRAIN 5 PILOTS EVERY 10 WEEKS. HE TRAINED HUNDREDS OF PILOTS IN THAT CAPACITY UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR. UPON THE CONCLUSION OF WWII, HE RETURNED TO ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA WHERE HE HAD ENTERED THE SERVICE.