World War II Honoree

Robert E. Custer

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Detroit, Michigan

Honored By

Bernice, Children and Grandchildren

JOINED THE UNITED STATES NAVY IN 1942. IN 1943, HAD CARRIER FLIGHT TRAINING AT GLENVIEW LAKE, MICHIGAN, WHICH CONSISTED OF LEARNING HOW TO LAND AND TAKE OFF OF AIRCRAFT CARRIERS. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY LANDING ON A MODIFIED CRUISE SHIP. HE FLEW TBF AVENGER TORPEDO BOMBERS, PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE OF LEYTE GULF, INVASION OF LINGAYEN GULF IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, AND SERVED ON THE USS BISMARCK SEA, WHICH WAS SUNK BY KAMIKAZE AIRCRAFT OFF IWO JIMA, VOLCANO ISLANDS, FEBRUARY 21, 1945. WHEN THE KAMIKAZES HIT, HE WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS AND AWOKE TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO ABANDON SHIP. HE CLIMBED UP TO THE DECK. THE SHIP WAS ON FIRE, LIGHTS WERE OUT, DEBRIS WAS FLYING, THE SHIP WAS LISTING, AND THE ELEVATORS WERE BLOWN OUT. HE HURRIED ACROSS THE FLIGHT DECK, AVOIDING THE ELEVATOR SHAFTS, AND JUMPED OFF THE STARBOARD SIDE. HIS LIFE JACKET DID NOT INFLATE AND HE STILL HAD HIS BOOTS ON WHICH MADE TREADING WATER EVEN MORE DIFFICULT. AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS, THE DESTROYER ESCORT USS EDMONDS (DE-406) PICKED HIM AND FELLOW TBF PILOT UP. THE SHIP DROPPED HIM OFF AT IWO JIMA, JAPAN, TO AWAIT HIS NEXT ASSIGNMENT. HERE HE WITNESSED THE RAISING OF THE U.S. FLAG.