Robert Douglas Hobert
Military ROLL OF HONOUR
Nose artwork by S/Sgt Don Allen.
Object Number - UPL 13759 - Captain Robert D. Hobert in front of his P-47 Thunderbolt "Blue Goofis". Nose artwork by S/Sgt Don Allen.
Robert Hobert was from Woodland, Washington. He was assigned to the 133 [Eagle] Sqn RAF and transferred to the 336th fighter squadron, 4th Fighter Group, in May 1943 staying until April 1944.
Promoted to 1st Lieutenant 5-43
Designated Flight Commander C Flight 1-2-44
Promoted to Captain 28-2-44
Designated Flight Commander B Flight 1-3-44
Designated Flight Commander A Flight 25-3-44
Designated Squadron Assistant 30-3-44
Robert was on a strafing mission to Stendal Aerodrome on 5 April 1944 led by Squadron Commander James Goodson. This highly successful mission destroyed approximately 25 German aircraft. Hobert destroyed three Ju-88s, but reported his P-51 Mustang was hit by flak. Goodson did not observe much damage, but Hobert was forced to ditched in the North Sea on return about 30 miles off the Suffolk coast due to a leak in the coolant system. Although he was rescued by a Walrus of No. 277 Squadron RAF, he died of exposure about midnight in a British coastal hospital.
Robert Hobert had five victories to his credit.
Awards: DFC (2OLC), AM (4 OLC), PH, EAME (2 x Battle Stars).
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Type Category: Fighter
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Nicknames: Blue Goofis
- Unit: 406th Fighter Group 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron 513th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-47 Thunderbolt
- Unit: 48th Fighter Group 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron 492nd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: Spitfire
- Unit: 4th Fighter Group 334th Fighter Squadron No 71 'Eagle' Squadron
Missions
- Date: 5 April 1944
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: "Duckpond"
- Site type: Memorial
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
26 July 1921 | ||
|
Died |
Hospital Grove, Woodbridge, Suffolk, UK | 6 April 1944 | Picked up by ASR the evening of the 5th, but succumbed to the effects of exposure at 01:30 in Martlesham Hospital on the 6th. |
|
Other Ditched |
English Channel | 5 April 2044 | Aircraft struck in coolant system, forcing him to ditch in the Channel on the way back to Debden. |
| Woodland, WA 98674, USA | |||
|
Buried |
Park Hill Cemetery Vancouver, Clark County, WA | Re-Interred Park Hill Cemetery, Vancouver, Clark County, Washington | |
|
Based |
Biggin Hill | Assigned to 133 Sqn RAF. | |
|
Based |
Debden | Transferred to 336FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. |
Revisions
Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia ;
- Ted Damick, VIII Fighter Command pilots list
- http://www.4thfightergroupassociation.org/pilots.html
Personal research & 'Eighty-One Aces of the 4th Fighter Group' by Frank Speer.
Combat Chronology/losses of the 8th & 9th page 28 / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia
