This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SSgt Robert Bruce McClelland, Jr.
to remember
Goebel, Robert John, Lt Col USAF(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Racine, Wisconsin
Last Address Torrance, California
Date of Passing Feb 20, 2011
Location of Interment Green Hills Memorial Park - Rancho Palos Verdes, California
Wall/Plot Coordinates Park View Terrace Lawn Crypt: 263 D
He destroyed 11 enemy aircraft in aerial combat in 3 months in the Mediterranean Theater in WWII.
His Silver Star citation reads: Awarded for actions during World War II
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Robert J. Goebel, United States Army Air Forces, for gallantry in action as Pilot of a P-51 type aircraft of the 308th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Group, FIFTEENTH Air Force, in action on 18 August 1944. On that date, Lieutenant Goebel participated as escort to heavy bombers attacking strategic enemy installations in Rumania. Over the target, Lieutenant Goebel observed sixteen (16) enemy aircraft preparing to attack his flight leader. Displaying outstanding aggressiveness and courage, with complete disregard for the overwhelming superiority of enemy aircraft, Lieutenant Goebel immediately engaged the hostile ships, and, in the ensuing engagement destroyed two (2) enemy fighters and forced the rest to withdraw, thus saving the life of his comrade. En route to base, though having serious mechanical difficulties, he again intercepted enemy aircraft and accounted for another enemy fighter destroyed. By his conspicuous gallantry, professional skill and devotion to duty, together with his outstanding combat record of over fifty-five (55) successful missions against the enemy and nine (9) enemy aircraft destroyed in aerial flight, Lieutenant Goebel has reflected great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States of America.
General Orders: Headquarters, 15th Air Force, General Orders No. 3536 (1944)
"Mustang Ace: Memoirs of a P-51 Fighter Pilot", Robert J. Goebel, Pacifica Press, 1992.
WWII - European Theater of Operations/Southern France Campaign (1944)
From Month/Year
August / 1944
To Month/Year
September / 1944
Description (Southern France Campaign 15 August to 14 September 1944) While the Germans were retreating in Italy in the summer of 1944, the Allies diverted some of their strength in the theater to the invasion of Southern France. After preliminary bombardment, a combined seaborne-airborne force landed on the French Riviera on 15 August. Marseilles having been taken, Sevmth Army advanced up the Rhone Valley and by mid-September was in touch with Allied forces that had entered France from the north.
