This Military Service Page was created/owned by
A3C Michael Bell (Unit Historian)
to remember
Conroy, Robert Brierly, Maj USAF(Ret).
If you knew or served with this Airman and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
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REMEMBRANCE IN PROGRESS - SUBJECT TO CHANGE --------- This profile is based entirely upon the research done by US Militaria Forum member "Forum Support" (user name) who collected a grouping named to Major Conroy which may be seen at this link:
Most of the information here and all photos are to be credited to him. ---------- Inventory of grouping:
FLIGHT GEAR * P-1B flight helmet, 1954 * HGU-2/P flight helmet, 1950's * A-11 flight helmet with B-8 goggles & spare lenses * A-9 cloth flight helmet with Seasall goggles * MBU-5P oxygen mask * H-157/AIC headset/microphone * Mark 2A pilots kneeboard clip board * MXU-163/P pilots kneeboard clip board * Three AN 6505 Aviators Kit Bags * Drawstring gear bag marked 34th Bomb Squadron * Drawstring flight helmet bag form early 1960's * GI issue flyers garment bag * Aircrew clip-on tray * Type E-11 dead reckoning computer * Type B-2 navigation plotter * Type MB-2 flight computer * AN 5835-1 DR computer * T-33 fuel consumption calculator
UNIFORM ITEMS * Flight gloves, types TB3A, GS/FRP-1 and F-3 electric suit * Two pairs Vietnam era leather flight boots * Blue visor cap * Blue flight cap * Blue dress uniform with wings and ribbons * Black mess dress uniform with wings and mini-medals * K2B flight suit size SM-REG with patches & insignia * CWU 27/P flight suit size 40R with patches & insignia * L2B flight jacket size SM with patches & insignia * L2B flight jacket size MED with patches & insignia * OD Cotton sateen shirt with names tape and insignia * OD jungle combat shirt with names tape and insignia * Large drawstring bag from his WWII enlisted service
INSIGNIA & AWARDS * Rank insignia & dogtags * Several wings, 3 large (one on blues), 3 small and one bullion (on mess dress) * Name tags * Patches * Misc. ribbons & a ribbon chart for him * Mini-medals (on mess uniform) * Certificates for Bronze Stare, Air Medal, AF Commendation & other medals * Reserve and Regular Air Force commission certificates * USAF retirement certificate * B-66 1,000 Hour plaque * C-141 2,000 Hour certificate * C-130 1,000 Hour pin * Pins from Air Force Association, etc.
FLIGHT MANUALS & OTHER BOOKS * Flight manuals/handbooks for A-26/B-26, T-33, B-66, C-141 * Checklists for A-26, T-33, B-57 B-66, C-130 * Yearbook, Reese AFB flight training 1954 * Yearbook, Goodfellow AFB flight training 1954 * Yearbook, Hurlburt Field 17th Bomb Wing 1956 * Yearbook, Sculthorpe Air Base, England 1957
FLIGHT RECORDS * Three student flight logs * Records of combat flight hours in Vietnam * Records of roundtrip airlift flights from US to Vietnam
PERSONAL ITEMS * Military issue ID cards * Menu from unit dinner with British Royalty * Two photos from flight training school * Four unit lighters (one from his A-26/B-26 days) * One silver-plated presentation cup * One presentation ashtray with pilot wings * Two desk nameplates --------
Other Comments:
Re: 463rd TCW:
"On Nov. 23, 1965, the wing moved to Mactan Isle Air Field, Philippines, and assumed responsibility for operating a C-130 combat airlift support unit at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, South Vietnam, and a detachment at Clark AB, Philippines. On Aug. 1, 1967, the Air Force redesignated the wing to the 463rd Tactical Airlift Wing." ---------- From Dave Scoggins 22 Sep 09:
"Got notification that someone was added to my "Also there" on my profile. Checked and saw one of them was Major Conroy. Apparently we were stationed at Mactan and Norton together.
Anyway, I remember the good Major. I was working in Squadron Training office when he upgraded to "Select Lead" AC. Had to be one of the best at airdrop with the C-141 to make a "Select Lead" crew. I also went on a Wespac trip with him. He was an IP and had 2 students with him. It was a good trip and he made sure both the youngsters joined in on the Bag Drags at every stop.
If memory serves I was the senior Engineer and, therefore, the NCOIC for the trip. It was about 8 or 9 days long and we got lots of flying. Norton-Travis-Hickam-Wake-Kadena-Danang-Cam RAhn Bay-Kadena-Saigon-Kadena-Hickam-Travis-Norton. Typical.
Anyway, just wanted to let you know I knew the man and he was a good man to serve with."
Dave --------
Korean War/Third Korean Winter (1952-53)
From Month/Year
December / 1952
To Month/Year
April / 1953
Description The military stalemate continued throughout the winter of 1952-1953. Allied Sabrejet pilots, meantime, persisted in destroying MiGs at a decidedly favorable ratio. In December the Communists developed an ambush tactic against F-86 pilots patroling along the Yalu River: MiG pilots would catch the UN aircraft as they ran short of fuel and headed south to return to base. During these engagements, some of the F-84 pilots exhausted their fuel and had IO bail out over Cho-do Island, 60 miles southwest of Pyongyang.
United Nations forces held the island and maintained an air rescue detachment there for such emergencies. To avoid combat while low on fuel, Sabre pilots began to fly home over the Yellow Sea. MiG pilots at this time generally sought the advantages of altitude, speed, position, and numbers before engaging in aerial combat. The UN pilots, on the other hand, relied on their skills to achieve aerial victories, even though they were outnumbered and flying aircraft that did not quite match the flight capabilities of the MiG-15s.
One memorable battle occurred on February l8, 1953, near the Sui-ho Reservoir on the Yalu River, 110 miles north of Pyongyang; 4 F-86Fs attacked 48 MiGs, shot down 2, and caused 2 others to crash while taking evasive action. All 4 U.S. aircraft returned safely to their base. While the Fifth Air Force maintained air superiority over North Korea during daylight hours, the Far East Air Forces Bomber Command on nighttime missions ran afoul of increasingly effective Communist interceptors. The aging B- 29s relied on darkness and electronic jamming for protection from both interceptors and antiaircraft gunfire, but the Communists used spotter aircraft and searchlights to reveal bombers to enemy gun crews and fighter-interceptor pilots.
As B-29 losses mounted in late 1952, the Bomber Command compressed bomber formations to shorten the time over targets and increase the effectiveness of electronic countermeasures. The Fifth Air Force joined the Navy and Marines to provide fighter escorts to intercept enemy aircraft before they could attack the B-29s. Bomber Command also restricted.missions along the Yalu to cloudy, dark nights because on clear nights contrails gave away the bombers' positions. FEAF lost no more B-29s after January 1953, although it continued its missions against industrial targets. On March 5 the B-29s penetrated deep into enemy territory to bomb a target at Chongjin in northeastern Korea, only 63 miles from the Soviet border. While Bomber Command struck industrial targets throughout North Korea during the winter of 1952-1953, the Fifth Air Force cooperated with the U.S. Navy's airmen in attacks on supplies, equipment, and troops near the from fines.
In December 1952 the Eighth Army moved its bombline from 10,000 to 3,000 meters from the front lines, enabling Fifth Air Force and naval fighter-bombers to target areas closer to American positions. Beyond the front lines, the Fifth Air Force focused on destroying railroads and bridges, allowing B-26s to bomb stalled vehicles. In January 1953 the Fifth Air Force attempted to cut the 5 railroad bridges over the Chongchon Estoary near Sinanju, 40 miles north of Pyongyang. Expecting trains to back up in marshaling yards at Sinanju, Bomber Command sent B-29s at night to bomb them, but these operations hindered enemy transportation only briefly.
As the ground thawed in the spring, however, the Communist forces had greater difficulty moving supplies and reinforcements in the face of the Fifth Air Force's relentless attacks on transportation. At the end of March 1953, the Chinese Communist government indicated its willingness to exchange injured and ill prisoners of war and discuss terms for a cease-fire in Korea. On April 20 Communist and United Nations officials began an exchange of POWs, and 6 days later, resumed the sessions at Panmunjom.