For Memorial Day 2001, Central Missouri Aviation honors
Lt. Robert N. Hunter and his flight crew in his B-24 Liberator.
Lt. Hunter and the 512th Squadron of the 376th Bomb Group, known as the Liberandos, flew their B-24s deep into Axis occupied Eastern Europe in an attempt to cripple Nazi Germany’s supply of refined oil. The oil fields and refineries of Ploesti, Romania became absolutely critical to Hitler’s war machine. The heavily defended target became the Liberandos’ top priority. Numerous bombing missions in the spring and summer of 1944 by the 376th included Mission #279, led by Lt. Hunter.
The report made following the mission reads as follows:
June 24, 1944 bombing mission to Ploesti, Romania, oil refineries and rail yards. Anti-aircraft heavy and accurate. Escorted by four fighter groups of P-38s and P-51s. Enemy interceptors estimated at over 50 ME-109s and 200 FW-190s. Three ME-109s believed shot down. Aircraft loss: 2 destroyed, 2missing, 1 crash-landed; personnel: 52 missing, 15 seriously wounded.
For his contribution to the mission and the bravery of his men, Lt. Robert N. Hunter was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Army Air Corps highest honor.
Lt. Hunter’s crew:
Robert N. Hunter – Pilot
William H. McVey – Co-pilot
Harry W. Stoskus – Navigator
Donald D. Southard – Bombadier
Joe R. Macias – Flight Engineer
Lucien I. Pepin – Radio Operator/Ball Turret Gunner
James R. Owens – Waist Gunner
Leslie W. Durham – Tail Gunner
James J. Carney – Top Turret Gunner
Vernon T. Braley – Waist Gunner
Article from Columbia, MO Tribune
Local WWII veteran honored, reunited with crew member after 57 years
By STEPHEN FOUTES
News Tribune
An awards ceremony Friday night at the Columbia Regional Airport served as the backdrop for the reunion of two World War II veterans who hadn't seen each other since 1944.
At the ceremony, which was part of the weekend's air show, retired Lt. Col. Robert N. Hunter, Jefferson City, was honored for his service during World War II.
Receiving the award came as a surprise to Hunter, a former U.S. Air Force pilot.
"It's absolutely thrilling," Hunter said, when asked about being honored. "I had no idea anyone knew any of this."
However, the surprise appearance of his former crew member made the night complete.
Hunter's son, B.J., introduced Don Southard, the elder Hunter's bombardier on 95 percent of his flying missions.
It was a reunion 57 years in the making.
"This is the first time I've seen him since 1944," Southard said. "I finished one day ahead of Bob, who was on a mission, and I left without even saying good-bye."
Southard's appearance was part of a ceremony where Ben Ames, president of Central Missouri Aviation, unveiled a painting commissioned in Hunter's honor.
The painting, done by Kansas City artist Jeff Unger, depicts the B-24 Liberator, the type of plane on which Hunter commanded 50 missions while flying out of his 512 Squadron's bases in North Africa and San Pancrazio, Italy.
But, it was the reunion that left the hangar with
few dry eyes.
Despite not seeing each other for more than a half-century, Southard remembers Hunter as a great pilot. "I was going to say he is the best pilot there is," Southard said. "I know he is one of the best pilots in the world."
A modest Hunter attributed his flying successes to his crew members.
"I think I had a very good crew," Hunter said, while recalling one very close call. "The flight engineer saved all of our lives one time. We got hit. The cockpit filled with smoke. The engineer took off his oxygen mask, grabbed a fire extinguisher, and dived behind the seat to put the fire out. That saved our lives.
"As pilot, you'd push a button to prepare to bail out and push it another time to bail out. I'd already pushed it one time."
Despite his bravery, Hunter said he's no hero.
"I was just doing my duty," he said. "All the rest of the guys were, too. I wasn't doing anything that the
others weren't."
Ames disagreed and said Hunter, and others like him, are heroes.
"These guys were barely out of the Boy Scouts and then they were participating in activities like that," Ames
said. "Are they heroes? Absolutely."
An expanded version of this article appears in today's issue (May 27) of The Sunday News Tribune.
Bob Hunter and his former bombardier Don Southard were reunited at this years' salute to a local veteran at the Memorial Day Weekend Celebration 2001.
Click on photo to view greater detail.
Stephen Brooks/News Tribune
