George L Robinson
Military![Lieutenant-Colonel George L Robinson, a pilot of the 303rd Bomb Group, reads an English newspaper. Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 9 Apr 1943.' [stamp] and '257535.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Lt. Colonel George L. Robinson, bomber pilot, serving with the U.S. Army Air Force in Britain finds English newspapers a little strange. Aged 30, he has been on 8 raids and holds the Air Medal and two clusters. He was in the Regular Army befo](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/cropped_large/public/freeman/media-378859-305947-crop.jpg?itok=EJBUre3l)
UPL 73106
UPL 73106
Lieutenant-Colonel George L Robinson, a pilot of the 303rd Bomb Group, reads an English newspaper. Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 9 Apr 1943.' [stamp] and '257535.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Lt. Colonel George L. Robinson, bomber pilot, serving with the U.S. Army Air Force in Britain finds English newspapers a little strange. Aged 30, he has been on 8 raids and holds the Air Medal and two clusters. He was in the Regular Army before the outbreak of war. His home address and that of his mother Mrs N.H. Robinson, is 1135 W. 37th St. Los Angeles, Cal. Not to be published before April 20 1943.'
Roger Freeman Collection
Cropped from image media-378859.jpg (media id 4289)
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Object Number - UPL 73106 - Lieutenant-Colonel George L Robinson, a pilot of the 303rd Bomb Group, reads an English newspaper. Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Current...
He began his military career 28 Apr 1931 when he enlisted as a private in the Air Corps. He became an aviation cadet 25 Jun 1936 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. with pilot's wings 30 Jun 1937 at Kelly Field, TX. From that point he progressed steadily through the officer ranks to full colonel. He was rated as a Command Pilot. He went to combat in WWII with the 303rd BG as Operations Officer and rose to deputy commander there before becoming Commanding Officer of the 306th Bomb Group. He flew his first mission as Command Pilot of B-17F #41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS (See Biography events UNDER CONSTRUCTION).
Fourth and longest serving group commander of the 306th from 20-Jun-43 to 23-Sep-44. Flew 26 missions. Several times he led the entire 8th AF on missions. He completed 26 missions.
He flew first mission with the 306th on 25 Jun 1943 and his last was on 05 September 1944. He transferred home on 23 Sept. 1944. Upon returning, he became director of the Aircraft Division, Air Force Board, Washington DC. He then attended the Army Command and Staff School at Fort Leavenworth. His next assignment was with the SAC, in command of various bases, groups, and a B-47 wing. He left SAC in 1958 and was deputy commander of the Air Technical Training Center until retirement in 1961.
Silver Star, DFC w/ 2Oak Leaf Cluster, AM w/ 6 Oak Leaf Cluster,
Colonel Robinson then became Director of Florida State Civil Defence until finally retiring in 1973.
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: The 8 Ball
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Holy Mackerel
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 359th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
- Nicknames: Joe Btfsplk II
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 427th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 5 September 1944
- Date: 25 June 1943
- Date: 18 March 1943
- Date: 4 March 1943
![B-24 Liberators of the 44th Bomb Group fly over countryside. Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 16 Feb 1943.' [stamp] Printed caption on reverse: '7-12 Liberator planes of U.S. Bomber Command in flight at the start of an operational patrol from their base "somewhere in England". And February 17th 1943 PN'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379113.jpg.webp?itok=PMFn3r3H)
- Date: 16 February 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
![A bomber crew of the 306th Bomb Group wave to Picture Post Girls in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-24471) nicknamed "Four of a Kind" at Thurleigh in December 1942. Image stamped on reverse: '"Picture Post" [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 11 Dec 1942.' [stamp], '238038.' [Censor no.] Handwritten in censor's blue pencil on reverse: 'American Flying Fortress crew are introduced to the girls they will meet at Picture Post Xmas Party.'](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-379028.jpg.webp?itok=6Gc6iR0j)
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Bedford
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Hanover, Illinois | 23 April 1912 | |
|
Enlisted |
28 April 1931 | Enlisted as a Private in the US Army Air Corps. | |
|
Other Aviation Cadet |
San Antonio, TX, USA | 25 June 1936 | Became an Aviation Cadet at Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas |
|
Other Commissioned as Pilot |
San Antonio, TX, USA | 30 June 1937 | Commissioned as a 2LT and earned his Pilot wings at Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas. |
|
Other Promotion in Rank |
Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 12 January 1942 | Promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. |
|
Other Appointed Executive Officer |
Pendleton, OR 97801, USA | 19 March 1942 | Appointed Executive Office of 303BG with the rank of Captain, Pendleton Field, Pendleton, Oregon. |
|
Other Arrival in UK |
Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 21 October 1942 | Arrived in the UK with the 303BG/359BS at Molesworth, UK. |
|
Other Appointed Squadron Commander |
Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28, UK | 25 October 1942 | Appointed as the Squadron Commanding Officer 303BG/427BS with the rank of Major. |
|
Other Mission #1, MAJ George L. Robinson, w/ B-17F 41-24581, 303BG/359BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 17 November 1942 | Served as the Group Command Pilot of B-17F 41-24581 "The '8' Ball", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #2, MAJ George L. Robinson, w/ B-17F 41-24609, 303BG/359BS |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 23 November 1942 | Served as Group Command Pilot of B-17F 41-24609 "Holy Mackerel", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #3, LTC George L. Robinson, w/ B-17F 41-24569, 303BG/427BS |
Rouen, France | 12 December 1942 | Served as Group Command Pilot of B-17F 41-24569 "Memphis Tot", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Roeun France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #4, LTC George L. Robinson, w/ B-17F 41-24609, 303BG/359BS - Aborted |
Lorient, France | 30 December 1942 | Served as Group Command Pilot of B-17F 41-24609 "Holy Mackerel", 303BG/359BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France, but mechanical failures forced him to abort the sortie. |
|
Other Mission #5, LTC George L. Robinson, w/ B-17F 41-24610, 303BG/427BS |
Lorient, France | 23 January 1943 | Served as Group Command Pilot of B-17F 41-24610 JoeBTFSPLK", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #6, LTC George L. Robinson, w/ B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
Saint-Nazaire, France | 16 February 1943 | Served as Group Command Pilot of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France, but mechanical failures forced him to abort the sortie. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #7, LTC George L. Robinson, w/ B-17F 41-24559, 303BG/360BS |
Rotterdam, Netherlands | 4 March 1943 | Served as Group Command Pilot of B-17F 41-24559 "Ooold Soljer", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Rotterdam, Holland. RTB OK. |
|
Other Mission #8, LTC George L. Robinson, w/ B-17F 41-24619, 303BG/427BS |
Bremen-Vegesack, Bremen, Germany | 18 March 1943 | Served as Group Command Pilot of B-17F 41-24619 "S-for-Sugar", 303BG/427BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat construction yards at Vegesack, Germany. RTB OK. |
|
Died |
18 November 1994 | ||
|
Buried/ Commemorated |
23 November 1994 |
Revisions
Added a "#" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" for clarity.
Lee Cunningham 3-May-2016. Added Mission #8 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/024.pdf
Lee Cunningham 3-May-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 4-Mar-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/022.pdf
Lee Cunningham 3-May-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 16-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/016.pdf
Lee Cunningham 3-May-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 16-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/016.pdf
Lee Cunningham 3-May-2016. Made connections to Missions of 23-Jan-43, 16-Feb-43, and 4-Mar-43 per 303BG Mission Reports for those dates: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 3-May-2016. Corrected Rank in Missions #3 & 4 events per 303BG, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 3-May-2016. Added Promoted in Rank event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 20-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf
Lee Cunningham 20-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 12-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/006.pdf
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Added Mission #2 eent per 303Bg website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 23-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/004.pdf
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 17-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/001.pdf
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Added Appointed Squadron Commander event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: Personnel Roster: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Added Arrived in UK per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Added Arrived in UK per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Added Appointed Executive Officer event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Personnel Roster: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Added Enlistment, Aviation Cadet & Commissioned as Pilot events per AAM website Biography page.
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Made connections to 303BG and first two missions per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian: http://www.303rdbg.com/
Lee Cunningham 12-Dec-2015. Added 1st mission statement to Summary Biography per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Personnel Roster http://www.303rdbg.com/
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://303rdbg.com/rost-rs.html#R, cousin, First Over Germany pgs. 110, 131-139, 149-51, 154-55, 159, 181, 188, 192-93, 196-98, 258-59, 280 & 322;
![Lieutenant-Colonel George L Robinson, a pilot of the 303rd Bomb Group, reads an English newspaper. Image stamped on reverse: 'Copyright Current Affairs Ltd.' [stamp], 'Passed for Publication 9 Apr 1943.' [stamp] and '257535.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'Lt. Colonel George L. Robinson, bomber pilot, serving with the U.S. Army Air Force in Britain finds English newspapers a little strange. Aged 30, he has been on 8 raids and holds the Air Medal and two clusters. He was in the Regular Army befo](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-378859.jpg.webp?itok=v7a_F1F8)
