CDR Robert Gene Whitelaw USNR

Foil: 9 Panel: 1 Column: 4 Line: 103

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

Robert Gene Whitelaw, Commander, USNR, Retired
Total Logged Time 15,607.6 Hours

Commander Robert Gene Whitelaw’s career started with primary aircraft training in Prescott, Arizona, in Piper J3 Cubs on October 7, 1942. His first solo flight followed a few days later on October 20, 1942, after a total logged time of eight hours. Course completion was accomplished 32 days later on November 22, 21942, with a grand total of 25.6 hours of dual instruction and 14.2 hours of solo flight time.

In Livermore, California, Whitelaw’s N2S training was from April 23, 1943 through June 18, 1943. He completed 36.3 hours of dual instruction and 60.5 hours of solo flight instruction. From July 4th through July 12th he flew the N2T with one hour of dual instruction and 5.4 hours of solo flight.

Next came Corpus Christi, Texas, and some much needed time in a SNV-1 before transitioning to PBY-1 in October of 1943, and later to PBY-5 in December 1943. Then at last, Whitelaw was assigned a line pilot position in Jacksonville, Florida, in PBY-5 for January and February of 1944.

January 1946 through September 8, 1950 Los Alamitos, California was the selected duty station for Whitelaw, where the following aircraft were flown: Piper Cub J3, Taylorcraft, SNH, PBY-5A, and his first flight with his brother, Naval Aviator Leland Blair Whitelaw. Other aircraft flown were SNB and PV-2.

September 19, 1950 he was transferred from VP 771 to VP 772, back to Whidbey Island, Washington for transition to PY4Y2 Trans-Pacific Mission. On January 13, 1951, his squadron was transferred to Atsugi, Japan, until September of the same year. October 12, 1951 brought about assignment to FASRON 895 in Seattle, Washington, where Whitelaw made his last BPY6A ferry flight to San Diego, California. FASRON 895 afforded the logging of time in SNH, F6F, JRB and PB4Y2.

In March 1952, he became Check Pilot to Alameda VP9 in PB4Y2 completing his last PB4Y2 flight on September 26, 1952. He was transferred to VR3 at Moffett Field, California on October 23, 1952, flying Douglas R5D in the Military Air Transport Service (MATS). January 1953, brought transfer to R6D until December 1955.

January 1956, saw a transfer to VR24 in Naples, Italy flying R5D, TBM and TF-1 in support of Sixth Fleet. In 1955 he qualified in carrier landings where he performed carrier onboard delivery of high priority cargo and mail, VIP visitors to fleet, and air evacuation of sick and/or injured personnel, and amassing 78 carrier landings.

January 1958, he was stationed at Naval Air Station Miami, flying R6D, P2V6, TV2, SNB and HSS-1 until June 1959, at which time he was transferred to Naval Air Station Seattle, flying R5D, P2V5, SNB, R4D-8, F6F, and AD5 until December 1962.

January 1963 he was transferred to Naval Air Station Gross Ile, Michigan piloting R5D, A1E and T34B until transferred in December 1965.

January 1966 he was transferred to Naval Air Station Patuxant River, flying R5D, R6D, and C188 until retiring in July 1967.

Upon retirement from the United States navy, he went to work at the Boeing Company in Washington State for 10 years. He instructed flight crews for six different countries in the Boeing 707, and for nine countries in the Boeing 727.

The WHITELAW family has 137 years of flying service between the two brothers and their two sons as follows:
Robert Gene Whitelaw 35 years
Leland Blair Whitelaw 37 years
Mark Whitelaw 20 years
Ronald Blair Whitelaw 45 years and still flying