Robert F. WarrenOnly in My America: From Orphaned Farm Boy to the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame Via Three Wars
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Bob Warren was born in December of 1923, near the little rural village of Riverside, MI, where he was orphaned as an infant. He grew up in the small town of Coloma, MI with his adoptive parents - his maternal aunt and her husband, Ruth and Tom Warren. Bob, and his older brother, Bill lived with the Warrens until they were eleven and eight years old, when the Great Depression caused the boys to be separated, and Bill's older brother, Bill was adopted by another family in Berien Springs, MI. Both would grow up to be pilots - Bill in commercial aviation, and Bob a United States Marine Corps aviator. Bob joined the Navy Flight Training Program in August, 1942. He received his Naval Aviator Wings and Marine Corps 2nd Lieutenant commission at the age of 19. He trained to be a night fighter pilot at Vero Beach, FL in 1944. At Vero Beach, Bob married Millie Weber, his high school sweetheart, and they would embark on what would be a 65 year long marriage. They raised two wonderful, successful children, Bill and Jeanne Warren. Bill would go on to serve in the United States Marine Corps in Vietnam, and would later enjoy a remarkable career, and raise a family of his own. Jeanne became a nurse, and made her home with her husband, Conrad near New Orleans, LA. In 1945, during World War II, Bob fought as a Marine night fighter pilot during the Battle for Okinawa, and he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for "heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight". Bob was a pioneer helicopter pilot during the Korean War, and received a second and third Distinguished Flying Cross - the third one for his heroic efforts to rescue a downed pilot forty miles behind enemy lines. After 14 years of helicopter flying, Bob transitioned to flying swept-wing jets. Colonel Warren served with distinction in Vietnam. He is the only Marine aviator who has commanded both a Marine Helicopter Squadron and later a Marine Jet Attack Squadron. Along the way, Colonel Warren earned the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" and many other awards in recognition of his heroism and achievements in aerial flight, and his significant contributions to the success of the United States Marine Corps. In the years following his retirement in 1969, Colonel Warren was recalled to active duty six times, to serve at the Pentagon, as a member of the Advisory Committee on Retired Personnel. He was a Life Member of Marine Corps League Detachment #588 in Bradenton, FL. Bob enjoyed a rich and full life in retirement; achieving success in business, spending time with his family, and his many friends old and new. He and Millie traveled frequently, had an enormous amount of fun together, and reaped the blessings of lives well lived. Millie died 8 January 2010, during the winter after she and Bob had celebrated their 65th Wedding Anniversary. Colonel Bob Warren died after a brief illness, at the age of 97, on 9 February 2021, in Bradenton FL.
