Robert W. Walton

The first school he went to was an one room school. All 8 grades were in one room with one teacher. Bob was the smartest one in his grade, he was the only one in his grade. Bob graduated from Leedey high school in 1941.

After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, he joined the Army Air Corp. He became a 2nd lieutenent before he was 21. He went through B-17 school and then went to McDill field to assemble a crew. They picked up a new B-17 and flew it over the North Atlantic to England. Bob was the commander with a total of 300 flying hours. He completed 35 missions in the 8th Air Force, flying from England over Germany. After he returned to the states he went through airline pilot school learning how to fly C-54's. He was assigned to Travis AFB to fly over the pacific. He commanded one airplane that flew into japan to pick up prisoners of war.

He was assigned to Hanede airport near Tokyo and flew diplomatic missions to Manila, Shanghai, and Peiping then back to Tokyo. He spent 3 days at each stop. On one stopover in Shanghai, he went to a dance at the French Club. He met Marianna (Mara) Nadeyeff there. They dated several times. Bob got out of the Air Force to go to college. He and Mara corresponded and the decided to get married. She flew to the states and the were married on Christmas day 1947.

When the Korean war started, Bob was recalled to the Air Force. He was assigned to McChord AFB. After that, Bob and Mara were assigned to MA, DL, CA, FL, then back to England, to KS and back to CA. B was in missiles at Vandenberg AFB. In the year before he retired, he was the commander on the four Thor missile launches. One put the first weather satellite into orbit, a first for a military crew. After over 10,000 hours of flying time, over a year in the air, mostly in 4 engine propeller planes, he retired at aage 47 to become a full time fisherman and prospector.

Bob and Mara spent 40 years in Lompoc, CA, they moved to Whidbey Island in 2004, then to the Regency Retirement home in 2008.

Bob died peacefully at Ebey's beach, June 7th, exactly one week after his beloved wife. He is survived by daughters Elaina in Coupeville, Diane of Colorado, and son Bill of California, five grandchildren and two greatgrandkids.

There will be a joint memorial service for Bob and Mara June 23rd at 2pm at Burleys Funeral Chapel in Oak Harbor. Full military honors will be presented.