World War II Honoree

Roger Hobart

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Enid, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

APPLIED, AND WAS SELECTED FOR AIRCREW TRAINING IN THE AVIATION CADET PROGRAM AS A NAVIGATOR. UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF PREFLIGHT SCHOOL, FLEXIBLE GUNNERY SCHOOL, AND BASIC AND ADVANCED NAVIGATION TRAINING, WAS AWARDED HIS SILVER NAVIGATOR WINGS AND COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT. NEXT, ASSIGNED FOR BOMBARDMENT UNIT TRAINING IN THE AIRCRAFT HE WOULD FLY ON IN COMBAT. SERVED OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER AS A B-17 'FLYING FORTRESS' BOMBER NAVIGATOR AND LEAD NAVIGATOR WITH THE 92ND BOMBARDMENT GROUP (HEAVY), 8TH AIR FORCE. STATIONED AT PODINGTON, ENGLAND, HE FLEW 31 COMBAT MISSIONS OVER OCCUPIED EUROPE. HIS UNIT PARTICIPATED IN THE AIR OFFENSIVE-EUROPE, NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. AS A NAVIGATOR, PLOTTED THE COURSE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO AND FROM THE TARGET AREA, FURNISHED THE PILOT WITH FLIGHT DIRECTIONS EN ROUTE, AND KEPT THE FLIGHT LOG BOOK. ALSO SERVED AS AN AERIAL GUNNER WHEN UNDER ATTACK. HIS UNIT SERVED PRIMARILY AS A STRATEGIC BOMBING ORGANIZATION, ATTACKING SHIPYARDS, HARBORS, RAILWAY MARSHALLING YARDS, AIRFIELDS, AIRCRAFT FACTORIES, OIL REFINERIES AND STORAGE FACILITIES, AND OTHER INDUSTRIAL TARGETS. AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED WITH THE RANK OF FIRST LIEUTENANT AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.