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Contact Info
Home Town Cohoes, New York
Last Address Universal City, Texas
Date of Passing Oct 03, 1980
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
He was an F-100 Misty Fast FAC based at Phu Cat AB, RVN until he was forced to eject over North VietNam Dec 12, 1967, was captured, and spent 1,920 days as a POW. He was awarded 3 Silver Stars for his service in Vietnam. Later he served as Air Attache to Bulgaria and Hungary; and was training to be Air Attache in Honduras when he died of a heart attack while on active duty.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Major Robert Roger Craner (AFSN: FV-3034131/11261367), United States Air Force, for gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force while serving with the 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Phu Cat Air Base, Vietnam, as a member of a two-man Forward Air Control team operating over North Vietnam, on 24 August 1967. On that date, Major Craner directed four flights of strike fighters against two active hostile anti-aircraft artillery sites which were preventing successful interdiction operations along a heavily traveled supply route. In order to positively identify the targets to each succeeding strike flight, he had to repeatedly dive through extremely intense barrage fire from the two coordinated anti-aircraft artillery sites. Despite the extreme personal danger, Major Craner and his fellow crew member delivered their ordnance precisely on target and enabled the strike fighters to identify and neutralize the threat to subsequent flights in the area. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Major Craner has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to Major Robert Roger Craner (AFSN: FV-3034131/11261367), United States Air Force, for gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force while serving as an F-100F Forward Air Controller of the 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Phu Cat Air Base, Vietnam, while directing fighter aircraft in North Vietnam, on 9 November 1967. On that date, Major Craner repeatedly dove his aircraft through extremely intense hostile anti-aircraft artillery fire in the process of directing fighter operations against lucrative targets and defending gun positions in several different areas. His aggressiveness and courage in the face of withering fire and his complete disregard for his own personal safety were instrumental in the destruction of many of the hostile guns, thereby reducing the threat to friendly aircraft operating in those areas. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Major Craner has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting a Second Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Third Award of the Silver Star to Lieutenant Colonel Robert Roger Craner (AFSN: FV-3034131/11261367), United States Air Force, for gallantry and intrepidity in action in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force during the period 28 to 31 December 1967, while a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam. Ignoring international agreements on treatment of prisoners of war, the enemy resorted to mental and physical cruelties to obtain information, confessions, and propaganda materials. Lieutenant Colonel Craner resisted their demands by calling upon his deepest inner strengths in a manner which reflected his devotion to duty and great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
Aircraft/Missile Information
Model North American F-100D Super Sabre Length 49.51 ft | 15.09 m Width 38.75 ft | 11.81 m Height 16.24 ft | 4.95 m Engine(s) 1 x Pratt & Whitney J 57-P21 turbojet with afterburning generating 17,000lbs of thrust. Empty Weight 20,999 lbs | 9,525 kg MTOW 34,833 lbs | 15,800 kg Max Speed 864 mph | 1,390 km/h | 751 kts Max Range 1,995 miles | 3,210 km Ceiling 45,000 ft | 13,716 m | 8.5 miles Climb Rate 16,000 ft/min (4,877 m/min) Hardpoints 6 Armament 4 x 20mm cannons
External hardpoints for an additional 7,500lbs of ordnance including: Dumb Bombs, Drop Tanks and Rocket Pods. Accommodations 1
Major Variants * F-100A - Initial Production Model * F-100B - Proposed Mach 2 / nuclear-capable fighter-bomber; would go on to become the YF-107 prototype series. * F-100C - Fighter-Bomber Variant with improvements; inflight refueling capability; more powerful engine. * F-100D - Fighter-Bomber Variant with improvements; fitted with ECm equipment and low-altitude bombing system.
