Robert B. Westbrook

Robert Burdette Westbrook (9 November 1917 – 22 November 1944) was a United States Army Air Forces lieutenant colonel and a World War II flying ace. Westbrook commanded the 44th Fighter Squadron, and became the leading fighter ace of the Thirteenth Air Force. He is also the ninth ranking fighter ace in the Pacific during World War II and also one of ten United States Army Air Forces pilots who became an ace in two different types of fighter aircraft.

Early life Westbrook was born in Los Angeles on 9 November 1917, and attended Hollywood High School, where he joined the ROTC and became a cadet captain. After graduating in 1935, Westbrook studied at the University of California, Los Angeles for a year. He became a member of the California National Guard and was federalized along with his unit in March 1941.

Military career Westbrook applied for United States Army Air Corps flight training later that year and was accepted. He was awarded his wings with Class 42-G at Luke Field, Arizona, on July 26, 1942, and then ordered to Hawaii. On August 15, he joined the 44th Fighter Squadron of the 18th Fighter Group. which was equipped with the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, at Bellows Field on Oahu.

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.

The 44th FS became part of the 13th Air Force when it was activated on January 13, 1943. A week later, its pilots flew their planes to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, from which they began flying combat missions. Westbrook scored his first kill on January 13, 1943, when he shot down an A6M Zero, during an intercept of an Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service raid on Guadalcanal consisting of nine Mitsubishi G4M "Betty" bombers escorted by 30 A6M Zeros. On February 14, while flying a bomber escort of B-24 Liberators, Westbrook shot down one enemy fighter, while other P-40 pilots shot down four and probably destroyed two others. Westbrook received his first Silver Star for this mission. On April 14, the 44th FS was assigned at Guadalcanal with the 18th Fighter Group. Westbrook was promoted to captain in early May. On June 7, during an interception of more than 40 A6M Zeroes over Guadalcanal, he shot down two Zeroes, bringing his total to four aerial victories. Westbrook's remains were never recovered.

Awards and decorations His decorations include:

USAAF Pilot BadgeDistinguished Service Cross Silver Starw/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster Distinguished Flying Crossw/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster Purple Heart Air Medalw/ 3 silver oak leaf clusters American Defense Service MedalAmerican Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medalw/ 3 bronze campaign starsWorld War II Victory Medal

Army Presidential Unit Citation

Legacy Westbrook is listed on the Walls of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery. There is a cenotaph placed for him at San Fernando Cemetery III in San Antonio, Texas.

A street in Kadena Air Base is named for Westbrook.

Aerial victory credits The data in the following table is from Newton and Senning (1978). 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 125 September 1944 1 30 September 1944 1 23 October 1944 3