Robert R. (Bob) Gregory

Bob Gregory enlisted in the Missouri Army National Guard on March 17, 1949, and served until being selected for the Aviation Cadet Program and going on active duty with the U.S. Air Force on January 27, 1954. He was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings at Greenville AFB, Mississippi, on April 29, 1955, and then attended F-86D Sabre Interceptor training at Perrin AFB, Texas. Lieutenant Gregory next served as an F-86D pilot with the 318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at McChord AFB, Washington, followed by service as an F-86D pilot with the 512th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at RAF Bentwaters, England, and then at Ramstein AB, West Germany. Captain Gregory served as an F-86D pilot with the 7127th Support Group and the 38th Air Base Group at Sembach AB, West Germany, and then attended Instructor Pilot Training at Moody AFB, Georgia, from October 1959 to February 1960. His next assignment was as an instructor pilot with the 3552nd Flying Training Squadron at Moody AFB, followed by service as an instructor pilot with the 3575th Pilot Training Squadron at Vance AFB, Oklahoma. He attended RF-4C Phantom II Combat Crew Training and Reconnaissance training at Shaw AFB, South Carolina, from September to December 1965, and then served as an RF-4C pilot with the 9th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Shaw from December 1965 until he deployed to Southeast Asia in July 1966. Captain Gregory served as an RF-4C pilot with the 6461st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Udorn Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, from July to November 1966, and then with the 11th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Udorn from November 1966 until he was forced to eject over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War on December 2, 1966.