Robert B. Westbrook (pilot)
Robert B. Westbrook | |
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Los Angeles, California, U.S. | |
| Died | 22 November 1944 (aged 27) off Makassar, Japanese-occupied Dutch East Indies |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ | California National Guard United States Army Air Forces |
| Years of service | 1930s–1943 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Commands held | 44th Fighter Squadron |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Cross Silver Star (2) Distinguished Flying Cross (2) Air Medal (16) |
Robert Burdette Westbrook (9 November 1917 – 22 November 1944) was a
Early life
Westbrook was born in
Military career
Westbrook applied for
World War II
Westbrook was promoted to first lieutenant in October, and on October 20, the 44th FS pilots and ground crews were transported to New Caledonia. Shortly thereafter, the squadron's P-40s arrived at the port of Espiritu Santo. When the planes were operational, the pilots flew them from Espiritu to their new base on the nearby island of Efate.[5]
The 44th FS became part of the
On June 12, Westbrook shot down a Zero near the
During December 1943, he shot down six Japanese planes in a three-day span over Rabaul, for which he received the Distinguished Service Cross. On January 6, 1944, during a fighter sweep over Rabaul, Westbrook was credited with the confirmed destruction of one enemy aircraft, which was his fifteenth aerial victory, and another probable enemy aircraft destroyed. It was his last mission with the 44th FS, before he was sent back to the United States for shore leave.[4]
Westbrook returned to Guadalcanal and in May 1944, he was appointed deputy commanding officer of the
During World War II, Westbrook flew a total of 367 combat missions. He was credited with the destruction of 20 enemy aircraft in aerial combat, which includes 13 in P-38 Lightning and 7 in P-40 Warhawk. With 20 victories, Westbrook became the Thirteenth Air Force's highest scoring ace.[4]
Death
On November 22, 1944, Westbrook was leading the flight to destroy the Japanese naval
Awards and decorations
His decorations include:
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USAAF Pilot Badge
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| Distinguished Service Cross | Silver Star w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster |
Distinguished Flying Cross w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster |
| Purple Heart | Air Medal w/ 3 silver oak leaf clusters |
American Defense Service Medal |
| American Campaign Medal | campaign stars
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World War II Victory Medal
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| Army Presidential Unit Citation |
Legacy
Westbrook is listed on the Walls of the Missing at
A street in Kadena Air Base is named for Westbrook.[11]
Aerial victory credits
The data in the following table is from Newton and Senning (1978).[12]
| Date | Credits |
|---|---|
| 27 January 1943 | 1 |
| 13 February 1943 | 1 |
| 7 June 1943 | 2 |
| 12 June 1943 | 1 |
| 1 July 1943 | 2 |
| 10 October 1943 | 1 |
| 23 December 1943 | 1 |
| 24 December 1943 | 3 |
| 25 December 1943 | 2 |
| 6 January 1944 | 1 |
| 25 September 1944 | 1 |
| 30 September 1944 | 1 |
| 23 October 1944 | 3 |
References
- ^ Sherman, Stephen (20 April 2012). "P-38 Lightning PTO Aces of World War Two". acepilots.com. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
- ^ "Westbrook, Famed Pacific Fighter Pilot, Shot Down". San Bernardino County Sun. 19 December 1944. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
- ^ Starke 1985, p. 144.
- ^ a b c d e Blake, Steve (1 August 2018). "Quadruple PTO Ace—KIA". Press Reader. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
- ^ a b "Lt. Col. Robert B. Westbrook". Pacific Wrecks. Pacific Wrecks. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
- ^ Molesworth 2003, p. 69.
- ^ Sherman, Stephen (20 April 2012). "P-38 Lightning PTO Aces of World War Two". Acepilots.com. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
- ^ "Westbrook, Famed Pacific Fighter Pilot, Shot Down". San Bernardino County Sun. 19 December 1944. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
- ^ "Westbrook, Robert Burdett, Lt Col". Together We Served. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
- Find A Grave. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
- ^ "Kadena Air Base Street Names". Kadena Air Base. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
- ^ Newton & Senning 1978.
Sources
- Molesworth, Carl (2003). P-40 Warhawk Aces of the Pacific. Oxford: Osprey. ISBN 978-1-84176-536-5.
- Newton, Wesley P. Jr.; Senning, Calvin F. (1978) [1963]. USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II, USAF Historical Study No. 85 (PDF). Research Studies Institute, USAF Historical Division, Air University.
- Starke, William H. (1985). Vampire Squadron: A History of the 44th Fighter Squadron in World War II, 1941-1945. Anaheim, California: Robinson Typographics. ISBN 978-0918837028.
