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This Day in History – June 10, 1969 – The X-15 gets a place in history

10 June 1969: The U.S. Air Force donated the first North American Aviation X-15, serial number 56-6670, to the Smithsonian Institution for display at the National Air and Space Museum. The first of three X-15A hypersonic research rocketplanes built by North American for the Air Force and the National Advisory Committee (NACA, the predecessor of NASA), 56-6670 made the first glide flight and

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Railey, Robert E.

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  • Railey, Robert E.

Robert Eugene Railey

Preferred Name: Bob
Nickname/Call Sign: Ramrod
Date of Birth: September 22, 1928
Highest Military Grade: 0-5 – Lieutenant Colonel
Hometown: McHenry, MD
Headed West Date: March 28, 2015
Biography
Pilot Information
Headed West

Bob graduated from Accident High School and enlisted in the Air Force at age of 18 and completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and airplane engine mechanic school at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. After graduating from Officers Candidate School in 1949, Bob attended pilot training class at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, James Connelly Air Force Base, Texas, and Williams Air Force Base, Arizona. Bob attended fighter weapons school at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, and then flew 100 missions in Korea in the F80 with the 80th FBS.

After serving in Korea, Bob was a T33 instructor at Webb Air Force Base in Texas until October 1953 when he joined the 121st Tactical Fighter Squadron (DC Air National Guard) at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland flying F86’s and F100’s as the operation officer and squadron commander until 1964.

In 1956 he was in an air race flying an F86E from Hamilton Air Force Base, California to New Orleans, Louisiana but had engine failure over Reese Air Force Base, Texas that required an engine-out landing.

Bob was director of safety for the 140th Tactical Fighter Group, Colorado Air National Guard from 1964-1965 and the unit won the Air Force safety award. From 1964-1970 Bob was director of operations for the 121st Tactical Fighter Group, Ohio Air National Guard, and retired in 1978 as an operations staff officer fighter branch in the Pentagon. As commander of the 121st Tactical Fighter Squadron, they won 11 awards and letters of commendation for flying safety and combat readiness. In 1956 it was the No. 2 unit of all Air National Guard units.

His personal commendations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with two clusters, District of Columbia Faithful Service Award, Armed Forces Expeditionary Service Award, and numerous other awards and theatre ribbons. In 1976 after traveling the world as a pilot, Bob returned to Garrett County and became Broker/Owner of Lakeside Realty & Development Co. He retired from the Air Force in 1988, but he continued to enjoy flying privately.

Source: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/144347888/robert-eugene-railey/photo

Units Assigned

  • 1/1948-4/1948 USAF Basic Training, Lackland AFB, TX
  • 5/194-12/1948  Airplane & Engine Mechanic School, Keesler AFB, MS
  • 1/1949-5/19 49 Instructor, A & F School, Keesler AFB, MS
  • 1/1949-12/1949 OCS, Lackland AFB, TX
  • 1/1950-6/1950 TAC Officer, Lackland AFB, TX
  • 6/1950-6/1951 Pilot Class 51-D. Randolph, Connally, and Williams AFB’s (T-6, T-28, T-33, F-80)
  • 7/195-9/1951 Combat Crew Training, Nellis AFB, NV (F-80)
  • 10/1951-12/1951 26th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Naha, Okinawa (F-80)
  • 1/1952-5/1952 80th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, Suwon, Korea (F-80 – 100 Missions)
  • 6/1952-9/1953 Flight Instructor, Webb AFB, TX (T-33)
  • 10/1953-2/1954 Fighter Pilot, 121st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, DCANG, Andrews AFB, MD (P-51, T-33, F-86A)
  • 3/1954- Oct 56 Operations Officer, 121st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, DCANG, Andrews AFB, MD (F-86)
  • 11/1956-10/1963 1213t Tactical Fighter Squadron, Commander (F-86, F-100)
  • 11/1963-5/1964  13th Tactical Fighter Wing, Director of Operations, DCANG, Andrews AFB, MD (F-100, T-33)
  • 6/1964-5/1965: 140th Tactical Fighter Wing, Director of Safety, COANG, Buckley ANG Base, CO (F-100, T-33)
  • 6/1965-5/1970 121st Tactical Fighter Group, Deputy Commander for Operations, OHANG, Lockbourne AFB, OH (F-100)
  • 6/1970-12/1978 XOOT Fighter Branch (AFRES), Pentagon, Washington, DC (C-131E)
  • 12/1978 Retired

Civilian:

  • 1966-1967 Lear 23 & 24 pilot for Executive Jet Aviation, Columbus, OFI
  • 1970-1972 Vice President, Freestate Builders, Washington, DC. Flew a Mooney
  • 1973-1976 Owner/President, Ramrod Builders, Gaithersburg, MD. Flew a Cessna 172.
  • 1976-2015 Owner/President, Lakeside Realty & Development Corp., Deep Creek Lake, MD. Owned Cessna 172, Citabria. Piper 140 and Cherokee 6.

Awards & Decorations

Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross
Air Medal
Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Service Award
DCANG Long & Faithful Service Medal
DCANG Long and Faithful Service Award

Flight Info

T-6
T-28
T-33
F-80
P-51
F-86A
C-131E

Military & Civilian Education

Civilian Education:

  • Accident High School, MD

Robert “Bob” Eugene Railey (LtCol USAF, Ret) “Headed West” on March 28, 2015.

“Bob” Railey, 86, of Oakland passed away on Saturday, March 28, 2015, peacefully at home.

Born on September 23, 1928, in McHenry MD, he was a son of the late Charles and Edith (Merrill) Railey. Bob graduated from Accident High School and enlisted in the Air Force at age of 18 and completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and airplane engine mechanic school at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. After graduating from Officers Candidate School in 1949, Bob attended pilot training class at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, James Connelly Air Force Base, Texas, and Williams Air Force Base, Arizona. Bob attended fighter weapons school at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, and then flew 100 missions in Korea in the F80 with the 80th FBS.

After serving in Korea, Bob was a T33 instructor at Webb Air Force Base in Texas until October 1953 when he joined the 121st Tactical Fighter Squadron (DC Air National Guard) at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland flying F86’s and F100’s as the operation officer and squadron commander until 1964. In 1956 he was in an air race flying an F86E from Hamilton Air Force Base, California to New Orleans, Louisiana but had engine failure over Reese Air Force Base, Texas that required an engine-out landing. Bob was director of safety for the 140th Tactical Fighter Group, Colorado Air National Guard from 1964-1965 and the unit won the Air Force safety award. From 1964-1970 Bob was director of operations for the 121st Tactical Fighter Group, Ohio Air National Guard, and retired in 1978 as an operations staff officer fighter branch in the Pentagon. As commander of the 121st Tactical Fighter Squadron, they won 11 awards and letters of commendation for flying safety and combat readiness. In 1956 it was the No. 2 unit of all Air National Guard units.

His personal commendations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with two clusters, District of Columbia Faithful Service Award, Armed Forces Expeditionary Service Award, and numerous other awards and theatre ribbons. In 1976 after traveling the world as a pilot, Bob returned to Garrett County and became Broker/Owner of Lakeside Realty & Development Co. He retired from the Air Force in 1988, but he continued to enjoy flying privately.

His personal time was spent with family and friends while enjoying golfing, hunting, fishing, and boating on Deep Creek in his Lakeside Realty “Sale” Boat. Bob’s love of life and gregarious personality will be missed by all.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Vava (Helbig) Railey; three daughters, Kathy Gibson & husband Jim of Deep Creek Lake, MD, Debbie Recker & husband Jim of Bethel Park, PA, Roberta McNamara and husband John of Frederick, MD; eight grandchildren, Eric Recker and wife Jaimee, Todd Gibson and wife Michelle, Beau Gibson and wife Katie, Dustin Hurley and wife Kristen Williams, Bryan Recker, Krista Hurley, Josh Recker and fiancee Laura Pinter and Sean McNamara, seven great-grandchildren, Vava, Ella and Leo Recker, Sophie Gibson, Clark Gibson, Mahlon and Cameron Hurley; and a brother, Charles “Bud” Railey of Bridgeport, WV.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his siblings, Clark Railey, Helen Hinebaugh, Earle Railey, Mary Ruth Bittinger, Marjorie Hamill, and James Railey. The family will receive friends at the C & S Fredlock Funeral Home, P.A., 21 N 2nd St., Oakland on Tuesday, March 31st from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 PM. A funeral service will be held in the funeral home on Wednesday, April 1st at 11 AM with Rev. Dr. Chip Lee officiating.

Interment, with military honors, was in the Garrett County Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of Garrett County or the American Legion Scholarship Fund. www.csfredlockfh.com

Source: Photos of Robert Eugene “Bob” Railey – Find A Grave Memorial

Wall of Honor Location

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