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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Leader

Honored by:
Terry Chase

As a small boy in a small town in Illinois, Bob loved to see airplanes fly overhead. He knew when he grew up, he wanted to fly them. There were balsa wood gliders and model airplanes in kits at the dime store for 5 to 25 cents. His father bought him one and he was on his way to a lifetime of love for anything that flew.

Bob graduated from the Army Air Corps cadet program in 1944. He wanted to be a fighter pilot and to fight for his country in WWII. However, anyone who was over 5' 8 1/2 inches tall and weighed over 154 pounds was trained to be a bomber pilot instead.

Bob's primary trainer was a Stearman PT-13. His basic trainer was a Vultee BT-13 and his advanced trainer was a North American AT-6. During his early years he flew bombers B-17, B-24 and B-25. Later, he flew transports C-47, C46 and C54.

Bob served honorably in the United States Air Force for 22 years. He was stationed in the Philippines, Guam, Greenland and Korea. During his spare time, he designed, built and flew model airplanes.

In the 1970's the sport of hang gliding came into focus. Bob was one of the early pioneers and joined the U.S. Hang Gliding Association as member number 30. Bob currently is a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association, two model airplane groups, the USA Ultralight Association and The Wing is the Thing (TWITT). He also serves on the Los Angeles County Aviation Commission.

Bob also owns an Earthlight Ultralight Airplane that he continues to fly to this day. When he is not in the air or talking about planes, Bob spends time with his wife of 54 years, Loretta. They both volunteer for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and were named Volunteers of the Year in 2013.