WWII ace, author Robert L. Scott dies - Aircraft of World War II

Royzee617 · 02-28-2006, 03:56 AM

WWII ace, author Robert L. Scott dies
Retired Brig. Gen. Robert L. Scott, the World War II flying ace who told of his exploits in his book "God is My Co-Pilot," died Monday. He was 97.

His death was announced by Paul Hibbitts, director of the Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base, where Scott worked in recent years.

The Georgia-born Scott rose to nationwide prominence during World War II as a fighter ace in the China-Burma-India theater, then with his best-selling 1943 book, made into a 1945 movie starring Dennis Morgan as Scott.

Among his other books were "The Day I Owned the Sky" and "Flying Tiger: Chennault of China."

Scott, who retired from the Air Force as a brigadier general, won three Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Silver Stars and five Air Medals before he was called home to travel the country giving speeches for the war effort.

He shot down 22 enemy planes with his P-40 Warhawk, though he recalled some were listed as "probable" kills.

"You had to have two witnesses in the formation, or you needed a gun camera to take a picture," he once said. "Only we didn't have gun cameras in China. I actually had 22 aerial victims, but I only had proof of 13."

He worked with the Flying Tigers, Gen. Claire Chennault's famed volunteer force of pilots who fought in China, but he was not one of its original members in mid-1941.

At 33, Scott was considered too old for combat and was still at a training job in California when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entered the war in December of that year.

After he got a call to serve in combat, he was assigned to a mission to bomb Tokyo from China. When that plan was scrubbed, he flew gasoline and ammunition over Japanese-held territory to the Flying Tigers. When the Tigers were formally incorporated into the Army as the 23rd Fighter Group of the China Air Task Force, Scott was asked to be its commander.

In the years just after the war, Scott was one of the proponents of making the Air Force into a separate service.

"They just plain couldn't see why we wanted a special service," Scott said in 1997, at the time the Air Force was marking its 50th anniversary as an independent service. "They all wanted their own Air Force. We were fighting against public opinion."

From the mid-1980s onward, Scott was an active staffer at the Robins air base's aviation museum.

"He's been our resident hero, cheerleader and biggest fan," said Pat Bartness, museum foundation president and chief operating officer. "He's been the biggest drawing card we've had."

ON THE NET

http://www.museumofaviation.org/

plan_D · 02-28-2006, 04:07 AM

May he rest in peace, he's earnt it ...

Gnomey · 02-28-2006, 07:25 AM

Sure has.

Twitch · 02-28-2006, 11:35 AM

God decided to reverse the favor since he needs a co-pilot for his Beechcraft in heaven I guess.....

MacArther · 02-28-2006, 11:57 AM

He now flies without his plane amongst the great men of the past, God rest his soul

syscom3 · 02-28-2006, 01:01 PM

I posted this initially in the "Obituary" sticky thread

P38 Pilot · 03-01-2006, 08:27 PM

He sure was an American hero...

02-28-2006, 03:56 AM	#1
Royzee617 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: MK UK Posts: 1,625	WWII ace, author Robert L. Scott dies WWII ace, author Robert L. Scott dies Retired Brig. Gen. Robert L. Scott, the World War II flying ace who told of his exploits in his book "God is My Co-Pilot," died Monday. He was 97. His death was announced by Paul Hibbitts, director of the Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base, where Scott worked in recent years. The Georgia-born Scott rose to nationwide prominence during World War II as a fighter ace in the China-Burma-India theater, then with his best-selling 1943 book, made into a 1945 movie starring Dennis Morgan as Scott. Among his other books were "The Day I Owned the Sky" and "Flying Tiger: Chennault of China." Scott, who retired from the Air Force as a brigadier general, won three Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Silver Stars and five Air Medals before he was called home to travel the country giving speeches for the war effort. He shot down 22 enemy planes with his P-40 Warhawk, though he recalled some were listed as "probable" kills. "You had to have two witnesses in the formation, or you needed a gun camera to take a picture," he once said. "Only we didn't have gun cameras in China. I actually had 22 aerial victims, but I only had proof of 13." He worked with the Flying Tigers, Gen. Claire Chennault's famed volunteer force of pilots who fought in China, but he was not one of its original members in mid-1941. At 33, Scott was considered too old for combat and was still at a training job in California when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entered the war in December of that year. After he got a call to serve in combat, he was assigned to a mission to bomb Tokyo from China. When that plan was scrubbed, he flew gasoline and ammunition over Japanese-held territory to the Flying Tigers. When the Tigers were formally incorporated into the Army as the 23rd Fighter Group of the China Air Task Force, Scott was asked to be its commander. In the years just after the war, Scott was one of the proponents of making the Air Force into a separate service. "They just plain couldn't see why we wanted a special service," Scott said in 1997, at the time the Air Force was marking its 50th anniversary as an independent service. "They all wanted their own Air Force. We were fighting against public opinion." From the mid-1980s onward, Scott was an active staffer at the Robins air base's aviation museum. "He's been our resident hero, cheerleader and biggest fan," said Pat Bartness, museum foundation president and chief operating officer. "He's been the biggest drawing card we've had." ON THE NET http://www.museumofaviation.org/

02-28-2006, 04:07 AM	#2
plan_D Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 11,978	May he rest in peace, he's earnt it ... __________________ "When you go home tomorrow, don't expect anyone to know what you have been through. Even if they did know, most people probably wouldn't care anyway. Some of you may get the medals you deserve, many more of you will not. But remember this, all of you are now members of the front-line club, and that is the most exclusive club in the world." - Lt. Col. Matthew Maer CO 1st Battalion, the Princess of Wale's Royal Regiment. Camp Abu Naji, Oct. 2004 To those in that club.

02-28-2006, 07:25 AM	#3
Gnomey "World Traveller" Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK Posts: 15,080	Sure has. __________________ "Success is not Final, Failure is not Fatal, it is the Courage to Continue that Counts" Sir Winston Churchill "To him the People of the World Largely owe the Freedom and Liberties they Enjoy Today" Enscription on Hugh Dowding's (AOC Fighter Command 1936-40) statue in London WW2 Talk: A WW2 Discussion Forum My Photo Collections on Flickr

02-28-2006, 11:35 AM	#4
Twitch Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: City of the Angels California Posts: 809	God decided to reverse the favor since he needs a co-pilot for his Beechcraft in heaven I guess..... __________________

02-28-2006, 11:57 AM	#5
MacArther Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 869	He now flies without his plane amongst the great men of the past, God rest his soul __________________ http://www.fictionpress.com/u/478009/ Hillary 2012: The world has to end sometime!

02-28-2006, 01:01 PM	#6
syscom3 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 10,186	I posted this initially in the "Obituary" sticky thread __________________ "Pilot to copilot..... what are those mountain goats doing up here in the clouds?"

03-01-2006, 08:27 PM	#7
P38 Pilot Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Auburn,Alabama; USA Posts: 1,822	He sure was an American hero... __________________ Its better to have an Army of deer being led by a lion, rather an Army of Lions being led by a deer...

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