Lt. Col. Robert Alvis Gilbert (Ret. USAF)

December 16, 1921 – January 8, 2017

On January 8, 2017, Our Heavenly Father called Lt. Col. Robert (Bob) Alvis Gilbert, Sr. home. He was surrounded by his loving family. Bob was born December 16, 1921 at his parent’s home in the small town of Beaver, OR to William and Lena Gilbert. Bob was the youngest of four children. Bob and his siblings, Daniel L, Mary E, and William J, Jr. worked in the Gilbert store growing up. After losing his father at an early age, Bob was raised by his mother and grandmother, Sarah Bunn, in the Beaver-Tillamook area. He attended and graduated from local grammar and high schools, where he and his brother Bill were stars of the basketball and football teams. He attended Oregon State College until the beginning of World War II.

Bob entered the military in May of 1942. Bob served in the Navy, the Army Air Corp, and the Air Force. In his 28 total years in the military he served in WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. After one year in the Naval Air Corp cadet program, he was discharged and immediately entered the Army Air Corp, where, after earning his wings as a Navigator, he was assigned duty as a navigator on B 24 bombers. He and the rest of the crew were in route to the Pacific Theater when WWII ended.

During his break in service, Bob completed his college education, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Woodbury College. He also obtained a Real Estate Brokers license and sold real estate in Riverside and Long Beach, California. He was employed as an auditor and office manager with Firestone Tire and Rubber Company when he was recalled to active duty by the US Air Force for the Korean War. During the Korean War, Bob flew on C24’s transporting personnel and supplies to and from Japan, and then from Japan to South Korea.

Upon returning stateside, Bob was assigned to the 1708th Ferrying Group, as a navigator delivering various aircraft to different countries around the world. One of his trips was around the world. Two C47 transport planes loaded with radio equipment needed to be delivered to Japan. Since these aircraft were not capable of making the long flight across the Pacific, it was necessary to go east by way of Iceland and Greenland through Europe, North Africa, Asia, the Philippines, and then north to Taiwan, and finally to Japan. Because of refueling and periodic maintenance required on C47 aircraft, it was necessary to stop at most of the countries along the route, frequently laying over one or two days. During his career Bob visited many historic spots around the world.

Bob’s assignments took him to McCord AFB, Germany with the USAF Security Service, Little Rock AFB, Bunker Hill AFB, Goose Bay AFB in Labrador, Newfoundland, Castle AFB and finally to Vietnam. Most of these assignments were performing duties as an Accounting and Financing Officer and Base Comptroller.

During his military service, Bob received numerous awards and decorations. These included four Air Force Commendation Medals and, most notably, while serving in Vietnam, he was awarded the Bronze Star for Meritorious Service. He was the one person considered as the most responsible for the success of the transition of the Rural Development Program from one United States Government agency to Vietnam’s National Training Center, Vung Tau, Vietnam. With all the frustrations inherent in crossing command and agency lines, he successfully developed and implemented the necessary procedures and acquired the approval of the counterparts within the Government of Vietnam. He was retired from the Air Force on June 30, 1970 after returning from a tour of duty in Vietnam.

After retiring from the military, Bob was active in the Merced Community. Bob opened and managed his own brokerage firm, where he mentored and worked with many young realtors. He was an active lifetime member of the Merced County Association of Realtors (MCAR), where he was President in 1975 and served on various committees, including the finance committee which he participated on up until the time of his death. Bob was an honorary member of the California Association of Realtors and an emeritus member of the National Association of Realtors. Bob was a member of the Merced County Rotary. In 2003 he received a lifetime achievement award from MCAR. Bob was a recipient of the MCAR Bill DelNero Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2010. Through the MCAR he was a founding member of the Young Professionals Club. Bob was an active member of St. Patrick’s Church and a 44 year member of the Knights of Columbus, St. Theresa Council. He was a charter member of The Retired Officers Association (TROA), a life member of the Military Officer’s Association of America (MOAA), and a member of the Veterans of Foreign War. Bob served as Grand Marshal of the 2015 Merced County Veteran’s Parade.

Bob enjoyed many sports and activities, including golf, football, baseball, and fishing. He was an avid sponsor and member of the Booster Club for the Merced Blue Devils. He was a sponsor of Stadium 76 and a member of the Blue Devil Bench.

Bob is preceded in death by his parents, William J. Gilbert and Lena Gilbert, Grandmother Sarah Bunn, loving aunt, Eva Guilland, brother Daniel L.Gilbert, sister Mary E. Lobb, brother William J. Gilbert, Jr., and daughter-in-law, Grace M. Gilbert. Bob leaves behind his loving wife of 62 years, Anna (DeFeo) Gilbert, daughter and son-in-law Barbara A. and Darryl Curry, son Robert A. Gilbert Jr. and his wife Lisa, daughter Catherine M. Gilbert, and grandchildren George D. Curry, Jr., Anna J. Curry, Robert A. Gilbert, III, Jessica J. Gilbert, and Melissa S. Gilbert.

A visitation, with rosary to follow, will be held on February 3, 2017 at 6 PM at St. Patrick’s Church, Merced CA. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on February 4, 2017, to be celebrated at St. Patrick’s Church at 10 AM, followed by a reception at St. Patrick’s hall. Interment with military honors to follow at Arlington National Cemetery, Washington D.C. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to either the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) or Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

Arrangements under the direction of Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home, Merced, CA.