Robert Wayne Aschenbrener

Military

Object Number - UPL 27731

Major Aschenbrener had flown 345 combat missions, over 850 combat hours, and had downed 10 aircraft in aerial combat flying P-40, P-47, and P-38 fighter aircraft.



"Robert Wayne Aschenbrener was born on 22 November 1920 in Fifield, WI, the son of George B. and Marietta Aschenbrener. He was raised on the Indian reservation at Lac du Flambeau, WI, and, after graduation from high school, he attended Loras College in Dubuque, IA, for two years. In September 1941, he enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in the U.S. Army Air Corps and received flight training at the following Texas locations: Kelly Field in San Antonio; Bruce Field in Ballinger; San Angelo Army Air Field in San Angelo; and Moore Army Air Field in Mission. He graduated in 1942 with the Class of 42H and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps with the rating of Pilot.



2LT Aschenbrener was assigned to the 8th Fighter Squadron (Black Sheep Squadron), 49th Fighter Group, then based in New Guinea. With the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk he scored his first 2 victories in aerial combat on 15 November 1943, followed by a 3rd victory on 15 February, 1944. After a promotion to Captain, he was assigned as Operations Officer and flew 272 more combat missions. In the summer of 1944, he was sent to the U.S. to instruct pilots in fighter tactics.



Bored with flight instruction and wanting to return to combat, CPT Aschenbrener talked his superiors into a trip back to his old unit, which was now flying the Lockheed P-38 Lightning in the Philippines. Assigned again as Operations Officer, on 24 November 1944, he became an ace by downing 3 Kawasaki Ki-61s (Tony's) and 1 Mitsubishi A6M Zero (Zeke) in a single mission. His unquestionable valor and flying skills in aerial combat that day earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross. On 11 and 14 December 1944, he was credited with his 9th and 10th aerial victories.



While on a strafing run on enemy-occupied Clark Field on Christmas Day 1944, Aschenbrener's P-38 was hit by 20mm ground fire, and he crashed into a rice paddy barely 5 miles from the end of the runway. Picked up by Huk guerrillas, he hid in the jungle for nearly a month while evading enemy troops looking for him. During this time he was joined by the crew of a Navy torpedo plane, as well as downed F-6F Hellcat ace, Alexander Vraciu. Making it back to safety after 27 days on the run, he returned to his unit. Aschenbrener received a promotion to Major and was given command of the 7th Fighter Squadron, 49th Fighter Group.



During this time, he met his soon-to-be wife, Laura Ann Middleton. On 20 August 1945 they were married on the recaptured Clark AFB in the shadow of Mount Pinatubo (a volcano that eventually destroyed Clark AFB) just a few miles from where his plane went down.



When he left the Army Air Force in September 1945, Major Aschenbrener had flown 345 combat missions, over 850 combat hours, and had downed 10 aircraft in aerial combat flying P-40, P-47, and P-38 fighter aircraft.



Civilian Life



In September 1945, Aschenbrener left military service to pursue a degree in Journalism at the University of Missouri at Columbia, MO. Robert and Ann then set about raising a family of four sons and four daughters in the states of Ohio, Texas and California. After retiring from the Los Angeles Valley News, Robert and Ann moved to Cameron Park in northern California."

Revisions

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Contributorjmoore43
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Removed extra info in the "Role/job" field.

Date
Contributorfugari
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corrected mos

Date
Contributorjmoore43
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Removed extra info in the "Role/job" field.

Date
Contributorfugari
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Sources

Flew with 49th FG in New Guinea and Philippines 5th AF not 49th FS.

Robert Wayne Aschenbrener: Gallery (2 items)