ÿþColonel Robert W. Stephens enlisted in 1942 after the attacks on Pearl Harbor, joining the Army Air Corps training facility at Luke Air Base in Arizona. He received his pilot s wings on September 29, 1942. Flight training continued in northern California flying the Bell P-39D. In January of 1943, he was assigned to the 355th Fighter Squadron, who called themselves the  Pugnacious Pups , which was part of the 354th Fighter Group. In May of 1943, the group transferred to Hickman Field in Portland, Oregon.

Late in November of 1943, the 354th Group landed in England, and was assigned to USAAF Station AA-F50 at Boxed Field and became part of the 9th Air Force fighting in Europe. On December 20th, Lieutenant Stephens, along with two other pilots returned to London to pick up the first of the Group s new aircraft, the P-51 Mustang. The P-51 was the most advanced fighter in the war, capable of escorting bombers from England to Berlin and returning. The 354th became known as the  Pioneer Mustang Group being the first Group to receive these new aircraft in the war. Lt. Stephens named his new P-51 Mustang  Killer. Col. Stephens, a WWII Fighter Ace, is credited with shooting down 13.5 German aircraft. During his 9-month tour in the European Theater of Operations, he advanced to the rank of Major on April 1, 1944 and was promoted as the Squadron Commander of the 355th. By the time he returned back to the States in September of 1944, he had advanced to the rank of Lt. Colonel.

The awards and insignias he received as a Fighter Pilot are listed below.

1. Silver Star

2. Distinguished Flying Cross

3. Air Medal  With 21 Oak Leaf Clusters

4. Presidential Unit Citation with one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster

5. American Campaign Medal

6. European  African Middle Easter Campaign Medal with 4 bronze stars

7. World War II Occupation Medal

8. National Defense Medal

9. French Croix de Guerre with Silver Gilt Star

In early 1958 Col. Robert Stephens was assigned as Wing Commander of 31st Fighter Wing at George A.F.B., see photo. He held this command until late 1959 when he was transferred to Langley, VA, as Director of Inspection for Tactical Air Command. On April 6, 1960, while conducting an O.R.I. inspection of the 429th T.F.W. at Cannon A.F.B. He was killed in an F-100-F, S/R 56-3777, as a result of an after burner failure during take-off.