Foil: 14 Panel: Retired United Pilots Association Column: 1 Line: 9

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

Captain Robert C. Ashley enlisted in the U.S. Navy in World War II at the age of 14. He spent two tours (36 months) in the Pacific with Headquarters Squadron (HEDRON), Fleet Air Wing (FAW) 2 Flight Test Division where he flew PBYs, PBMs, PB2Y-3s, PB4Y-1s, PB4Y-2s.

When he returned to the States he worked as a flight instructor at Bowman Field, Louisville, KY. He reenlisted in the Navy in 1949 and was assigned to Naval Air Test Center, Patuxtent, MD. He worked on the XF3D-1 (Korea) before and starting with Capital Airlines on January 16, 1956 as a pilot. After the merger with United Airlines, he flew as a captain on the DC-3, Viscount, Boeing 737s and 727s, and DC-8s. He retired September 3, 1987 after flying the DC-10 in the Pacific.

[Notes: The PBY designation was used for the Navy’s Catalina flying boats, designated as a patrol bomber (PB), with the third letter, “Y” indicting the manufacturer, Consolidated Aircraft. The PBM was a flying boat manufactured by the Martin Company. The F3D was a jet fighter that saw extensive service in Korea during the Korean War.]