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Original WW2 document relating to two great B-29 Pilots. This document is from the estate of Major Sam Alfred Roberts.This document isdatedMay 7th 1945 and relates to flying training of Combat pilot Sam A. Roberts. Roberts is best known for flying the very last bombing mission on Japan that ended WWII.This last bomb mission took place after the two atomicbombs were dropped.
This original document is signed by Lieutenant Colonel Hensley, (May 7, 1945, the day before war ended in the ETO). the document comes with a US AirForce personal card ofColonelSam A. Roberts.
Colonel Hensleywas a B-29 pilot in World War II and Korea. Hensley flew105 combat missions and on one ofthem he led his B-29Super-fortressfrom the Marianas to northern Japan on the longest bombing mission during all of World War II, a record 4,400 miles.
During the Korean War Hensley was stationed at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.On May 10, 1951 he was killed while flying a Thunderbolt jet aircraft on a practice mission, when his engine flamed out and the aircraft crashed near Cleveland, Texas.
Here is information on his crash that I found on theinternet:
Narrative:Hensley was awarded the Asia Pacific Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. His body was recovered, and he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia, USA
Col. Hensley'sreceived many militaryawards including thePresidentialCitation, see photos for his awards.
Of the five documents in this grouping there is one documents signed by Col Roberts.
Roberts became an Air ForceMajor and had anamazingcareer, flew single engineaircraft, WWII B-29s to B-52s.
Please look at document before offerding.
Roberts was a combat pilot, Roberts joined a B-29 Bomb Group being formed for Combat duty in the Pacific Theater. He was with the 315th Bomb Wing, 20th Air Force under General Curtis LeMay.Col Roberts flew the very last bomb run on Japan with his B-29weighing 67 tons of airplane and bombs.
The US Air ForcePublishers this about the last WWII bomb mission:"9-14 Aug 1945 —People might think that WWII in the Pacific ended after the secondatomic bomb was dropped; however, all of the 20 AF’s bomb wings continued their attacks on Japan until the end of the war — totaled 1,023 sorties in 10 missions.14-15 Aug 1945—“The Last Mission”when the 315th Bomb Wing’s B-29Bs returned to Northwest Field, Guam, from a night mission to Nippon Oil, Akita, the morning of 15 Aug, the Emperor of Japan had already surrendered. The 315 BW’s mission was the last bombing mission, dropped the last bomb, and the last to land. The blackout caused by this mission along helped to prevent a military coup’in Tokyo."
At wars end Roberts few many of the POW drop missions to save American Men and Woman in Japans POW Camps.
Col. Roberts was awarded theAir Medal - 2 awards, Bronze Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross. Post WWII heCommanded a B-29 Squadron in theStrategic Air Command andflew every bomber in the Air Force up to and including the B-52 Bomber.
Col Roberts was also the Director of Bombing Pilot Training at Deming Army Air Field, New Mexico, 1943-1944.
In addition, Col Roberts was a cold war Top Secret nuclear target advisory to John F. Kennedy (during the Cuban Missile Crises)
Roberts also served in Vietnam, was the US Air Force Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff J-2. He was a director of the joint strategic targeting planning staff during his stay in Vietnam in the 60's his headquarters where he lived and worked and was attacked during the Tet- Offensive.
Email me if need more information on this document lot.
More about Colonel Roberts....
Roberts was a bombing instructor during WW2 and served in two other wars and has manymilitaryaccomplishments: He training hundreds of bombing pilots and bombardiers during WW2, so many in-fact that that Armydidn't want to losehim in action so in order to see action he had to train 400 pilots without any training accidents. He didthat then the Army offered him a Bomb Wing assignment.
In 1944 he joined a B-29 Bomb Group being formed for Combat duty in the Pacific Theater. He was with the 315th Bomb Wing, 20th Air Force under General Curtis LeMay.Col Roberts flew the very last bomb run on Japan with his B-29weighing 67 tons of airplane and bombs. If you want to see a film showing the last bombs droppedon Japan there are videos on YOUTUBE, just search: "The Last Bomb - U.S. Army Air Force , B-29 Raids on Japan " it shows the bomb run that Col. Roberts made.
After WWII he became the Director of the Joint Services-Strategic Targeting Staff of our nuclear arsenal. He served a major roll in the Vietnam War. In 1968-69 Roberts represented Army General Creighton Abrams at the Paris Peace Talks.
Note: Colonel Sam Alfred Roberts trained hundreds of bomber pilots and bombardiers during WW2, here is something I found on the internet about him:
"After war broke out, Roberts excelled at training bomber pilots and bombardiers in New Mexico. Many of those flew their twenty-five missions and returned from battle with medals and stories of survival. Roberts ached to practice what he preached, but his colonel wouldn't release him for combat duty unless he graduated 400 certified bombing pilots without an accident. When Roberts accomplished that, his colonel sadly asked, "Can I talk you out of it?" No, sir."400 was a very high bar to reach, training this many pilots without an accident would be an amazing accomplishment!
Pilot training was extremely dangerous, out of the 35,000 U.S. Army Corps Airmen who gave their lives during WWII, 14,000 died on US soil and other parts of the world training for combat.
I found this on the internet about Roberts:
Reared in Helena, Roberts attended campus on an athletic scholarship from 1937 to 1941. The rugged player developed matinee idol looks, even though his nose was broken three times in the leather helmet days before facemasks. A business major who excelled in ROTC, he soon was named the cadet commander of the campus battalion. He fondly recalls marching on UM’s Oval or spending time with his Sigma Chi fraternity brothers—twenty-four of whom wouldn’t return from the conflict about to engulf the world.
After war broke out, Roberts excelled at training bomber pilots and bombardiers in New Mexico. Many of those flew their twenty-five missions and returned from battle with medals and stories of survival. Roberts ached to practice what he preached, but his colonel wouldn’t release him for combat duty unless he graduated 400 certified bombing pilots without an accident. When Roberts accomplished that, his colonel sadly asked, “Can I talk you out of it?” No, sir.
So in August 1945, the UM grad found himself commanding a B-29 superfortress in the night skies above Japan. Painted on the side was: “The Grym Gryphon—the Nipponese Night-mare.” She was among 250 planes flying in formation toward the last energy system in northern Japan. A few days earlier the world had entered the atomic age with the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but the Japanese still hadn’t surrendered. The Gryphon was now part of what would be the last bombing run of the war.
Flashes were soon seen in the darkness about them. They meant a rocket or kamikaze plane loaded with explosives had found a U.S. target. Roberts got on the microphone and told his nine-member crew, “Steady. Steady, everyone. No change.” Then he gritted his teeth and said a little prayer. They couldn’t take evasive action until after dropping their ten tons of bombs on the target.
The B-29s did knock out the energy plant, but the Gryphon didn’t have enough fuel to return to its home base. If forced to ditch, all crew members had agreed they would fight to their last bullet—which like the Lone Ranger’s was painted silver—and that one they would use on themselves to avoid Japanese torture. But they were able to land on a new runway on Iwo Jima, and Roberts admits to hugging a marine who helped build it.
Colonel Roberts served with distinction during a lengthy military career. By 1967 he was a top administrator in Vietnam, and he briefed presidents Kennedy and Johnson. He retired in 1970 with more than 7,000 flying hours.
“We have many things to be thankful for,” says the 89-year-old with a bruising handshake. “Do you have a flag at home? Do you know what it stands for?”
Colonel Sam A. Roberts, United States Air Force, (Ret.) has had a distinguished 30 year career in the Army Air Corps and U.S. Air Force. He entered the University of Montana in 1937 on a football scholarship. He received a commission as a Second Lieutenant, in 1941 through the University of MontanaROTC
program and soon after was assigned to the Army Air Corps pilot training program. Obtaining his pilot wings at Mather Field California, he flew B-18A bombers in Albuquerque, NM training bombing pilots and bombardiers. In 1944 he joined a B-29 Bomb Group being formed for Combat duty in the Pacific Theater, with the 315th Bomb Wing, 20th Air Force under General Curtis LeMay.
Col Roberts commanded a B-29 squadron at Tucson, Arizona until assigned to the Pentagon and prepared for assignment as U.S. Air Attaché to the Government of Burma from 1953-1955. In the mid-sixties Col Roberts was assigned to SAC Headquarters in Omaha as Director of Strategic Targeting, Joint Strategic Targeting Planning Staff under the Joint Chief of Staff. In 1967 he was assigned as Deputy Assistance Chief of Staff, Republic of Vietnam Headquarters for MACV in Saigon.
Col Roberts last assignment was Strategic Air Command, Omaha Nebraska in 1970 retiring with over 7000 flying hours. His numerous awards and decorations include the following:
Army Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Joint Services Commendation Medal, Air Medal- Two Awards, Bronze Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit-Two Awards, Republic of Vietnam Distinguished Service Medal, Order of the Knight Theater Ribbons, Three Theaters-Four Battle Stars, Presidential Unit Citation Award-315th Bomb Wing.Colonel Roberts did the task demanded of him and entered Combat.
Colonel Roberts awards and decorations include but not limited to:
Army Commendation Medal
USAF Commendation medal
Joint Services Commendation medal
Air Medal-2 awards, Bronze Star, Distinguished Flying Cross
Legion of Merit-2 awards
Republic of Vietnam Distinguished Service Medal
Order of the KnightTheater ribbons included three theaters and four battle stars
Presidential Unit Citation Award-315th Bomb Wing
What you will get:
Original WWII document and a fewFacsimiles relating toRoberts militaryservice and a bio onLieutenant Colonel Hensley and Hensley's Fathers bio.
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