Robert R Roberts
Chaplain - Air Force
Robert R. Roberts
Chaplain - Air Force
I joined the Air Force in 1947 for a 3 year hitch. After basic training I went to Auto Mechanics school at Lowry AFB, CO that eventually moved to Francis E. Warren AFB Cheyenne, WY. After graduation I was assigned to the school as an instructor. A year and a half later after two promotions to Sgt. I transferred to Norton AFB, San Bernadino, CA where I worked primarily on refueling units. My anticipated discharge in November 1950 was denied due to the pending Korean War. I was sent to Kelly AFB, San Antonio, TX where I prepared a reserve outfit for overseas. I was promoted to Staff Sgt. and prepared to get shipped to Korea. When the orders finally came through I was shipped to French Morocco where a new base was being built near Casablanca and continued my main duties with refueling units. As the base was under construction we lived in tents and other temporary housing. The local desert tribes would shoot at us from the higher ground so all non-coms were put on guard duty around the perimeter to frighten them away with 45 caliber grease-guns, every other round being a tracer. In order to avoid any bad publicity we were ordered to fire over the desert tribes. I managed to overcome the urge to fire at them dutifully followed orders. After returning home I was stationed at McChord AFB, near Ft. Lewis, WA. and returned to Auto Mechanics School at Francis E. Warren AFB near Cheyenne, WY. and was discharged in November 1953. My wife passed away in 2019 after 48 years of marriage. We had 8 grown children, 19 grandchildren and 27 great grandchildren.
