REHSr. WWII Flight Log

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Robert Edson Hoffman, Sr. World War II Flight Log, Related Links

Robert E. Hoffman, Sr. served 21 years with the U.S. Air Force (4 years active duty):

Cadet aviation school {names} [4/43],

Santa Ana, CA [5/43 AAF preflight, pilot squadron 60],

Ontario, CA [5/23/43, AAF primary, Cal-Aero Flight Academy, class 43-K Sq. 10/11/12, squadron 12],

Gardner Field (Taft), CA [8/2/43, AAF pilot school (basic), class 43-K, squadron 2 Flight A, BT-3],

Luke Field (Phoenix), AZ [10/4/43, AAF Advanced Flying School, AT-6],

McChord Field (Tacoma), WA [12/18/43, advanced, L-6],

Salinas, CA [1/28/44, 4th FCAAB],

Santa Rosa Army Air Field, CA¹ [2/29/44, 328th FG AAF, advanced, P-39¹],

Chico Army Air Field, CA [5/2/44, 433rd AAFBU, advanced, P-63¹], and back to

Ontario for special training [5/20/44, 443rd AAFBU, advanced, P-38].

He was assigned to active duty with the 15th Air Force, 1st Ftr. Gp., 71st Ftr. Sq. in Italy, July 1944. While with the 71st, he saw action in the Rome-Arno, Southern France, Air Combat Balkans, Rhineland and Northern France campaigns. He was awarded the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters (completing 51 P-38 combat missions between 31 July 1944 and 15 January 1945), the Distinguished Flying Cross (at the time, the highest Aviation Medal given - " for heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight" - for combat action over and around Vienna, Austria on 19 November 1944) as well as campaign ribbons for the above campaigns. He led the first 15th Air Force fighter squadron raid into Germany on 17 December 1944. He accumulated 700 hours in the air (250 in combat), conducting ground support, surveillance, escort, and reconnaissance missions. Out of combat, he served as operations and training staff officer assigned to Headquarters, 15th Fighter Command, Mediterranean Theater of Operations, and to the 481st and 482nd Army Air Force Units at Castle Army Air Field (Merced), CA. In September of 1946, he was assigned to the 97th Military Government group, Korea, as legal advisor and surveying officer for the Kyonggi-do province (surrounding Seoul). He left active duty in August of 1947 as a Captain, but remained active in the Air Force Reserve until 1981 -- serving as president of the Amarillo, Texas, Air Force Association and commander of the 9833rd Air Force Reserve unit in Amarillo. He retired from the Air Force in 1981 with the rank of Lt. Colonel. He retired as Dean of the Music School, Amarillo College, 8 January 1986. He passed away in his sleep at Mann Creek, Idaho, Thursday, 3 September 1992. I will forever have a deep hole in my soul, for not asking more about his life -- including that day over and around Vienna on 19 November 1944.

Click on the images or links below for expanded views.

1. Front Cover, Inside Page 1	2. Ontario, CA [primary, squadron 12]	Cadet Aviation School {names} Cadet Hoffman, Aviation School Pre-flight, class 43-K Primary, squadron 12 Cadet Hoffman, Primary
3. Ontario, CA [primary, squadron 12]	4. Ontario, CA [primary, squadron 12]	Cadet Hoffman, Primary
5. Gardner Field (Taft), CA [basic, squadron 2]	6. Gardner Field (Taft), CA [basic, squadron 2]
7. Gardner Field (Taft), CA [basic, squadron 2]	8. Luke Field (Phoenix), AZ [advanced, AT-6]
9. Luke Field (Phoenix), AZ [advanced, AT-6]	10. Luke Field (Phoenix), AZ [advanced, AT-6,P-40]
11. McChord Field (Tacoma), WA [advanced, L-6], Santa Rosa Army Air Field, CA [advanced, P-39]	12. Santa Rosa Army Air Field, CA [advanced, P-39]	2nd Lt. Hoffman, Santa Rosa
13. Santa Rosa Army Air Field, CA [advanced, P-39]	14. Santa Rosa Army Air Field, CA [advanced, P-39], Chico Army Air Field, CA [advanced, P-63]
15. Ontario, CA [advanced, P-38]	16. Ontario, CA [advanced, P-38]	2nd Lt. Hoffman, shipping out Serving overseas
17. Foggia, Italy [Rome-Arno, Air Combat Balkans, Northern France Campaigns, P-38]	18. Foggia, Italy [Rome-Arno, Southern France, Air Combat Balkans and Northern France Campaigns, P-38]	Foggia, P-38 crew Foggia, Jeep Foggia, Escape Photos Foggia, Bivouac 1 Foggia, Bivouac 2 Foggia, REH & his P-38 Foggia, REH & his P-38
19. Foggia, Italy [Rome-Arno, Southern France, Air Combat Balkans, Rhineland and Northern France Campaigns, P-38]	20. Foggia, Italy [Air Combat Balkans and Rhineland Campaigns, P-38]	Foggia, Burns? Foggia, "guess who"
21. Foggia, Italy [Air Combat Balkans and Rhineland Campaigns, P-38; R&R Co-pilot, B-25]	22. Foggia, Italy [R&R Co-pilot, B-25]	Foggia, P-38 Cockpit Foggia, Olson Foggia, Dodson and "Harry" Perrin/Hoffman R&R R&R, Lake Telamine R&R, Egypt

¹ Douglas D. Olson has prepared and privately printed (2007) "Fighter Training at Santa Rosa Army Air Field", available through the Pacific Coast Air Museum, Santa Rosa, California.