|
| Robert
D. Willerford |
| NO.
17565 • 8 Mar 1925 - 24 Sep 1956
|
Died
in Tallahasee, FL.
Interred in West Point Cemetery, West Point NY |
On 24 Sep 1956, a hurricane glanced off the Louisiana and Alabama
gulf coasts and struck northwest Florida with full force, blasting
Panama City and nearby coastal towns with 100 mile per hour winds.
CPT Bob Willerford and his wingman were ordered to evacuate two
training aircraft from Tyndall AFB near Panama City. Initial orders
were to evacuate the aircraft to the Midwest. Orders then changed,
and CPT Willerford and his colleague were diverted to West Palm
Beach. Bob's wife Mary remembers his rushing home and then heading
back to the flight line, leaving his wallet on the dresser. After
driving to the runway and watching while a sergeant ran out to return
the wallet to him, she saw Bob wave vigorously to her and take off.
Tragically, Bob and the wingman collided in the severe weather and
crashed near Tallahassee. His wingman ejected safely and survived.
Bob died in the crash and was buried with honors at West Point on
28 Sep 1956, just 6 years and 3 months after his graduation.
Bob left behind his young wife and three young children, family
he treasured. He also left behind a father, mother, two sisters,
and a brother he cared for deeply. He left behind a profession he
loved. Flying was his passion. He left behind classmates and colleagues
who greatly valued his friendship. Though long years have dimmed
memories, we remember a fine, ebullient man with a brilliant smile,
who had been a friend to all.
Robert Dale Willerford was born to Fred and Lillian Willerford in
Chicago, IL, on 8 Mar 1925. They soon moved to Van Nuys, CA. He
grew up there, the oldest of four children, with siblings Ruth,
Beverly, and Fred. He attended Van Nuys High School, participating
in sports and other activities. Upon graduation in 1942, Bob attended
a preparatory school and then went into the Army in September 1943.
He was assigned to the Army Special Training Program for continued
education at Lafayette College, PA, and, subsequently, Amherst College,
MA. With his leadership qualities evident, Bob was selected for
OCS in April 1945 and graduated in December 1945 as a second lieutenant
of Infantry. He was ordered back to Amherst College, this time to
the USMA Prep School. Future classmate Tyler Goodman, at Amherst,
remembers that many of the enlisted men regarded Bob as a model
officer, whom they one day hoped to emulate. A final brief tour
at Ft. Benning was interrupted by orders to join the Class of 1950
at West Point in July 1946.
Bob successfully negotiated the rigors of Beast Barracks, helping
many classmates along the way. Company mate Fred Hoham recalled
that Bob won a prize during Beast Barracks for rapidly field stripping
and reassembling his M 1 rifle. In September, he joined Company
E 1, his home until graduation. During his years at West Point,
Bob was an 'A' Squad fencer, a mainstay of the saber team. His skill
and sheer determination earned him a place on the 1950 Eastern Intercollegiate
Championship Saber Team. He also participated in several clubs and
served as a baseball manager. Again, his excellent leadership qualities
were recognized with his appointment as a cadet lieutenant and platoon
leader during First Class year. He was remembered by company commander
Bill Aman as having had a steadying influence on the company.
While at West Point, Bob had the good fortune to meet his "OAO,"
Mary Bemis, of Spencer, MA. They were wed on 24 Jun 1950 during
graduation leave and immediately went on to a first duty station
at Randolph AFB, TX, with residence in New Braunfels. Upon completion
of basic flight training, he and Mary moved on to Williams AFB,
where he completed advanced training Over the next few years, their
three children, Beth, Susie, and Bobbie, were born.
Following additional postings for continued training, Bob went to
Korea in September 1952. After 23 combat missions in Korea with
the 474th Fighter Bomber Wing, Bob was reassigned to the 9th Fighter
Bomber Squadron in Nagoya, Japan, in December 1952. There, he joined
a special group of about 30 pilots to train for a classified mission.
It was some months later that Mary and the children joined him in
Japan.
Bob was a tinkerer. For his family, every move was another chance
to fiddle. He made furniture, painted, put up wallpaper, built shelves
and cupboards, made folding patterns for linens, and created playrooms
out of closets. While stationed in Nagoya, Mary remembers his stenciling
balloons and children’s characters onto material he had found
somewhere, making curtains for the children’s rooms. He tinkered
sometimes with official permission, sometimes without.
More than his family benefited from his tinkering. In Korea, Bob
and his colleagues underwent special mission training. It required
careful weapon preparation, precise weapon settings, and intricate
installation of devices on board the F84G aircraft. The procedure
involved the use of several test instruments that were not particularly
well arranged. Bob designed a consolidated configuration for the
test instruments on a dolly, greatly contributing to the speed and
efficiency of preflight operations. The training required dangerous
long range flights over Korea in overloaded aircraft and a return
to base with minimal fuel in reserve. Fortunately, the armistice
in 1953 obviated the need for execution of the special weapons missions.
Upon return to the States in 1954, the family traveled to Tyndall
AFB, FL, where Bob served as a flight instructor until the tragic
day in September 1956 when his plane crashed in Florida. During
his short but distinguished service, Bob was recognized with the
Air Medal and Commendation Medal.
Bob Willerford is remembered by family, friends, classmates, and
colleagues as a man who loved and cared for his family with great
dedication, who was a stalwart friend, and who served his nation
proudly and with distinction.
- His Family and Classmates
|
USMA 1950