World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Robert White
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Orlando, Florida
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE IN 1942. APPLIED AND WAS SELECTED FOR THE AVIATION CADET PROGRAM. SELECTED FOR AIRCREW TRAINING AS A PILOT AND AFTER SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION IN 1944 WAS AWARDED SILVER PILOT WINGS AND COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT. SERVED AS A P-51 'MUSTANG' FIGHTER PILOT IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER. HIS AIRCRAFT WAS SHOT DOWN OVER GERMANY IN EARLY 1945 AND HE WAS TAKEN AS A PRISONER OF WAR (POW) BY THE GERMANS. SPENT A COUPLE OF MONTHS IN A POW CAMP BEFORE BEING LIBERATED. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. RECALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY WITH THE U.S. AIR FORCE AFTER THE WAR AND SERVED UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF MAJOR GENERAL.