He was a photo reconnaissance pilot with the Army Air Corps, flew missions from France and Belgium, including the Battle of the Bulge, in the winter of 1944/1945. Born February 20, 1924 and raised in San Leandro California, Bob enlisted at the age of 18. He underwent flight training at bases in California, Arizona, Kansas and Oklahoma. He underwent specific training in the P-38 aircraft and was certified as a photo reconnaissance pilot. Subsequently, he transitioned to night photography training in the Douglass A-20 medium attack bomber modified for night reconnaissance. The crew consisted of Navigator George T. Gregory and Observer Tom Nelson. They were assigned as a replacement crew to the European Theater of Operations and sent to the 155th Reconnaissance Squadron, 9th Air force at a former Luftwaffe air field near Saint-Dizier, France on the Marne River, 250 miles east of Paris. Before entering the service, Bob had never been more than 100 miles from San Leandro. Bob and his crew photographed marshaling yards, intersections, roads and river crossings in accordance with targets selected by Army Intelligence. On return to the base, the films were immediately developed, studied by Photo Interpreters and transmitted to a fighter bomber squadron for target selection the next morning. The squadron moved to Belgium, Holland and Wiesbaden, Germany as the Allied Forces progressed into Germany. Bob flew 19 missions.