Obituary for Robert J. Born
Lieutenant Commander Robert J. Born, 97, of Wyomissing passed away on May 8, 2020 from COVID-19 at The Highlands where he was a twenty-two year resident. A product of the Great Depression and member of the Greatest Generation, Robert was an eyewitness to some the most historic military moments of the 20th century.
Robert was born in 1922 in Detroit, MI. During the Great Depression, he had a seven mile bike route delivering newspapers at a penny apiece, earning 15 cents a day which he contributed to his single mother. As a young boy he witnessed the wonders of flying when the Graf Zeppelin passed over Detroit on its round-the world voyage. At age 11, he had set aside $1 of his own money when he rode the electric trolley across town and then hiked a mile to a grassy airstrip where he found an old barnstormer willing to relieve him of his earnings for his first flight in an open cockpit bi-plane which sealed his love of flying – eventually leading to an interesting military career as a Naval Aviator piloting more than 30 types of aircraft including also earning a designation as a “single wing” Lighter Than Air (LTA) Navy airship pilot and free balloonist. During high school Robert hand delivered messages for the Postal Telegraph company. Upon entering Wayne State University’s pre-med program at age 16, he earned his way through school by working the 4 pm – midnight plant protection shift at the Hudson Motor car company where his mother was also employed.
Like millions of his countrymen following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Robert answered his nation’s call by marching down to the local recruiting office and being sworn in as an Aviation Cadet, US Naval Reserve on his 19th birthday. He then spent nearly a year crisscrossing the United States on troop trains to different military bases while undergoing Aviation Cadet training in Wooster Ohio, initial pilot training at Spokane, Washington where he learned to fly in fabric covered biplanes, catapult training in Corpus Christie, TX and water survival and advanced flight training in Pensacola Naval Air Station (NAS), Florida.
Upon receipt of his aviator wings Robert received orders to the South Pacific for the remainder of the war flying F4 Wildcats, F6 Hellcats and SB2C Helldivers off Saipan and then being assigned to the light cruiser USS Cleveland where he flew the OS2U Kingfisher on long range scouting and observation missions to locate and destroy the enemy fleet and spot for naval gunfire. He was assigned to Tinian when the ill-fated USS Indianapolis delivered the atomic bombs for the Enola Gay. Following Japan’s surrender, Robert sailed with the USS Cleveland as part of the initial occupation force of Japan, flying the OS2U to conduct aerial minesweeping patrols to protect the US Fleet at Tokyo Bay.
Upon returning to the states in 1946, Robert deployed to the Mediterranean aboard the cruiser USS Manchester. He was then assigned to the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD as a flight orientation instructor – where his son and granddaughter later attended. In 1948 he was stationed at the Naval Air Station (NAS), Lakehurst, New Jersey where he underwent flight training to earn his LTA “single wing” qualifications. He also met his wife of 48 years Mary June there while attending a dance at the Officer’s Club. In an odd coincidence, as a young girl Mary June had witnessed the 1937 Hindenburg disaster from her backyard when the giant dirigible was attempting to dock at the NAS Lakehurst. While at the NAS, Robert spent two years piloting airships over the North Atlantic while conducting Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) patrols hunting for Russian submarines. He next received orders to the Naval Post Graduate School (NPS) in Monterey, CA earing his MS in Meteorology and Oceanography. As a meteorologist he served as a Navy free balloonist, piloting crude hemp-basket balloons into the atmosphere during the infancy of military Aerology. Robert then returned to the South Pacific where he was assigned to the Kwajalein Naval Base flying the PBY-5a Catalina and PBM Mariner on ocean search and rescue (SAR) missions, and later, he conducted over flights of the Pacific Proving Grounds while recording the effects of this nation’s atomic testing in the Marshall Islands during the height of the Cold War era. Upon returning stateside, Robert was then assigned to an ASW Squadron at Quonset Point, RI flying the P-2V Neptune aircraft on ASW patrols over the North Atlantic. He was they stationed at Floyd Bennet Field as the NAS’s Aerologist. Robert’s final tour was at Patuxent River NAS, MD as part of an Airborne Early Warning (AEW) Squadron based out of Iceland flying the EC-121 Warning Star surveillance aircraft on long range patrols above the Arctic Circle with the mission of detecting Soviet ICBMs and tracing Soviet ships and planes leaving the Soviet Union.
In November 1963, Robert Born retired to Wyomissing after 21 years of Naval service, having proudly served his country during times of peace, conflict and war. Upon retirement, he entered private practice as a financial planner – ChFC and CLU. He remained very active in community and civic activities serving as Wyomissing Troop 113/413 Assistant Scoutmaster for 15 years, Boy Scout merit badge counselor for 25 years, President of the local Kiwanis Club and CLU organization and Co-Chairman of Holy Name High School’s 1st annual Extravaganza event. A long time Lutheran, Mr. Born converted to Catholicism in 1995 by long time family friend and former pastor at Sacred Heart Church Monsignor James Reichert. Predeceased by his wife Mary June (Burr) Born in 2000, Robert is survived by five children, Catherine (Born) Lathbury wife of Steven of Havertown, PA, Lt Col Timothy Born USMC (Ret), husband of Brig Gen Dana (Lindsley) Born USAF (Ret) of Lexington, MA; LTC Christopher Born USA (Ret), husband of LTC Susan Rife USA (Ret) of Yorktown, VA, 1st Lt Robert Born USMC, husband of Angela (Hendrickson) Born of Sacramento, CA and Sister Susan Mary Born, IHM of Mt. Carmel, PA; eight grandchildren, eight great grandchildren and sister Carita Hodson.
A private Memorial service will be held for the family followed by burial at Gethsemane Cemetery. A celebration of Robert’s life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sisters IHM (VMHS), 1 Our Lady Circle, Malvern, Pa 19355.
Robert was born in 1922 in Detroit, MI. During the Great Depression, he had a seven mile bike route delivering newspapers at a penny apiece, earning 15 cents a day which he contributed to his single mother. As a young boy he witnessed the wonders of flying when the Graf Zeppelin passed over Detroit on its round-the world voyage. At age 11, he had set aside $1 of his own money when he rode the electric trolley across town and then hiked a mile to a grassy airstrip where he found an old barnstormer willing to relieve him of his earnings for his first flight in an open cockpit bi-plane which sealed his love of flying – eventually leading to an interesting military career as a Naval Aviator piloting more than 30 types of aircraft including also earning a designation as a “single wing” Lighter Than Air (LTA) Navy airship pilot and free balloonist. During high school Robert hand delivered messages for the Postal Telegraph company. Upon entering Wayne State University’s pre-med program at age 16, he earned his way through school by working the 4 pm – midnight plant protection shift at the Hudson Motor car company where his mother was also employed.
Like millions of his countrymen following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Robert answered his nation’s call by marching down to the local recruiting office and being sworn in as an Aviation Cadet, US Naval Reserve on his 19th birthday. He then spent nearly a year crisscrossing the United States on troop trains to different military bases while undergoing Aviation Cadet training in Wooster Ohio, initial pilot training at Spokane, Washington where he learned to fly in fabric covered biplanes, catapult training in Corpus Christie, TX and water survival and advanced flight training in Pensacola Naval Air Station (NAS), Florida.
Upon receipt of his aviator wings Robert received orders to the South Pacific for the remainder of the war flying F4 Wildcats, F6 Hellcats and SB2C Helldivers off Saipan and then being assigned to the light cruiser USS Cleveland where he flew the OS2U Kingfisher on long range scouting and observation missions to locate and destroy the enemy fleet and spot for naval gunfire. He was assigned to Tinian when the ill-fated USS Indianapolis delivered the atomic bombs for the Enola Gay. Following Japan’s surrender, Robert sailed with the USS Cleveland as part of the initial occupation force of Japan, flying the OS2U to conduct aerial minesweeping patrols to protect the US Fleet at Tokyo Bay.
Upon returning to the states in 1946, Robert deployed to the Mediterranean aboard the cruiser USS Manchester. He was then assigned to the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD as a flight orientation instructor – where his son and granddaughter later attended. In 1948 he was stationed at the Naval Air Station (NAS), Lakehurst, New Jersey where he underwent flight training to earn his LTA “single wing” qualifications. He also met his wife of 48 years Mary June there while attending a dance at the Officer’s Club. In an odd coincidence, as a young girl Mary June had witnessed the 1937 Hindenburg disaster from her backyard when the giant dirigible was attempting to dock at the NAS Lakehurst. While at the NAS, Robert spent two years piloting airships over the North Atlantic while conducting Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) patrols hunting for Russian submarines. He next received orders to the Naval Post Graduate School (NPS) in Monterey, CA earing his MS in Meteorology and Oceanography. As a meteorologist he served as a Navy free balloonist, piloting crude hemp-basket balloons into the atmosphere during the infancy of military Aerology. Robert then returned to the South Pacific where he was assigned to the Kwajalein Naval Base flying the PBY-5a Catalina and PBM Mariner on ocean search and rescue (SAR) missions, and later, he conducted over flights of the Pacific Proving Grounds while recording the effects of this nation’s atomic testing in the Marshall Islands during the height of the Cold War era. Upon returning stateside, Robert was then assigned to an ASW Squadron at Quonset Point, RI flying the P-2V Neptune aircraft on ASW patrols over the North Atlantic. He was they stationed at Floyd Bennet Field as the NAS’s Aerologist. Robert’s final tour was at Patuxent River NAS, MD as part of an Airborne Early Warning (AEW) Squadron based out of Iceland flying the EC-121 Warning Star surveillance aircraft on long range patrols above the Arctic Circle with the mission of detecting Soviet ICBMs and tracing Soviet ships and planes leaving the Soviet Union.
In November 1963, Robert Born retired to Wyomissing after 21 years of Naval service, having proudly served his country during times of peace, conflict and war. Upon retirement, he entered private practice as a financial planner – ChFC and CLU. He remained very active in community and civic activities serving as Wyomissing Troop 113/413 Assistant Scoutmaster for 15 years, Boy Scout merit badge counselor for 25 years, President of the local Kiwanis Club and CLU organization and Co-Chairman of Holy Name High School’s 1st annual Extravaganza event. A long time Lutheran, Mr. Born converted to Catholicism in 1995 by long time family friend and former pastor at Sacred Heart Church Monsignor James Reichert. Predeceased by his wife Mary June (Burr) Born in 2000, Robert is survived by five children, Catherine (Born) Lathbury wife of Steven of Havertown, PA, Lt Col Timothy Born USMC (Ret), husband of Brig Gen Dana (Lindsley) Born USAF (Ret) of Lexington, MA; LTC Christopher Born USA (Ret), husband of LTC Susan Rife USA (Ret) of Yorktown, VA, 1st Lt Robert Born USMC, husband of Angela (Hendrickson) Born of Sacramento, CA and Sister Susan Mary Born, IHM of Mt. Carmel, PA; eight grandchildren, eight great grandchildren and sister Carita Hodson.
A private Memorial service will be held for the family followed by burial at Gethsemane Cemetery. A celebration of Robert’s life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sisters IHM (VMHS), 1 Our Lady Circle, Malvern, Pa 19355.