Signature: Baldwin, Robert


Robert Baldwin was born on October 19, 1917, in Los Angeles, California. He entered the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Corps on September 28th, 1939, and was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings at Kelly Field, Texas, on June 22, 1940. Bob Baldwin took part in 75 combat missions in World War II flying P-38s and P-40s in Europe between 1943-45. After the second World War Col Robert Baldwin in 1948 served as a military observer in Palestine, and then served as Assistant Deputy for Maintenance and Chief of Flight Operations with Headquarters Oklahoma City Air Material Area at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, from December 1948 to July 1949. He attended Air Command & Staff College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, from July to December 1949, and then served as Commander of the 56th Maintenance and Support Group at Selfridge Air Force Base, Michigan, from December 1949 to March 1950. Col Baldwin was Deputy for Operations of the 56th Fighter-Interceptor Wing at Selfridge from March 1950 to June 1951, and then served on the staff of Headquarters Air Defense Command at Ent AFB, Colorado, from June 1951 to February 1953. Robert Baldwin joined the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing in Korea and was promoted to Commander after 3 missions. He flew a total of 85 combat missions, and has 800 hours on the F-86 achieving 5 arial victories plus 3 damaged in the Korean conflict. He was Base Commander of Kisarazu AB, Japan, from September 1953 to June 1955, followed by service as Commander of the 4750th Air Defense Group at Vincent AFB, Arizona, from June 1955 to November 1958. Col Baldwin next served with Headquarters U.S. Air Force in the Pentagon from November 1958 to June 1962, and then served on the staff of Headquarters Allied Air Forces Southern Europe from June 1962 to July 1965. His final assignment was as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans with Headquarters Air Training Command at Randolph AFB, Texas, from July 1965 He flew many other jet fighters of the era and retired from the Service in June 1966. Robert Baldwin passed away on April 7th, 1994.