Robert D. Gobble

Preferred Name: Bob
Date of Birth: July 23, 1937
Headed West: May 28, 2021
Highest Military Grade Held: 0-5 – Lieutenant Colonel
Hometown: Salisbury, NC
Biography

Bob Gobble played on the Clemson Orange Bowl Team in 1957 and the Sugar Bowl Team in ‘1958. Upon graduation from Clemson in 1959, he joined the United States Air Force becoming a fighter pilot. Bob was stationed at multiple Air Force bases in the US and overseas (including WPAFB, Okinawa, Takhli, and Korat AB) until his military retirement in 1980.

He flew 129 combat missions in Vietnam flying in the F-105D and F-105G Wild Weasel earning him the Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters and the Distinguished Flying Cross (1966). He worked on the F-15 fighter development program until retirement from the military in 1980 and entered the civilian workforce at WPAFB working in the F-15 System Program Office.

In January 1991, Bob retired as the Chief of Engineering for the F-15E fighter, completing 37 years of government service. In 1992 he and was awarded the Meritorious Civilian Service Award.

After retiring from WPAFB, Bob worked at H & R Block in Fairborn and then became a volunteer for VITA at the Beavercreek Senior Center where he completed local resident’s tax returns for over 25 years.

Source: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/dayton-oh/robert-gobble-10212561

Headed West

Robert D. Gobble, (LtCol USAF, Ret) “Headed West on May 28, 2021

Robert (Bob) Gobble, 83, died May 28, 2021, with his family by his side in Dayton, Ohio.

Bob was born on July 23, 1937, in Salisbury, NC, to Clifton and Mildred Gobble. Bob spent his youth growing up in Spartanburg, SC where he had a paper route all throughout high school where he also worked as a lifeguard during the summer months. He graduated from Clemson University in 1959 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. While at Clemson he played football for the Clemson Tigers from 1955 – 1959 and played on the Clemson Orange and Sugar Bowl teams. In 1979 he earned his MS in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Upon graduation from Clemson, he joined the United States Air Force in 1959 becoming a fighter pilot, and was stationed at multiple Air Force bases in the US and overseas (including WPAFB, Okinawa, Takhli, and Korat AB) until his military retirement in 1980. He flew 129 combat missions in Vietnam flying in the F-105D and F-105G Wild Weasel earning him the Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters and the Distinguished Flying Cross (1966). He worked on the F-15 fighter development program until retirement from the military in 1980 and entered the civilian workforce at WPAFB working in the F-15 System Program Office.

Bob retired as the Chief of Engineering for the F-15E fighter in January 1991 completing 37 years of government service and was awarded the Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 1992. Upon retirement from WPAFB, Bob worked at H & R Block in Fairborn and then became a volunteer for VITA at the Beavercreek Senior Center where he completed local resident’s tax returns for over 25 years. He was a member of Be Hope Church in Beavercreek.

He is survived by his wife, Judy Gobble of Beavercreek; his 3 daughters Cindy (Travis) Back of Troy, OH, Judy (Mark) Wilson of Lake Zurich, IL and Mickey Scherer of Columbus, OH, stepsons, Carl Potts and Casey Potts, his brother, James (Marilyn) Gobble of Greenwood, SC and his special Uncle and Aunt, Bob and Laura Gobble of Greensboro, NC. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Kristie (Shane) McKiddy, Ryan (Kristyn) Back, Matt Wilson, Rob Wilson, Carlie (Aditya) Garg, Kelly (Rob) Bohnenstiehl, Abby Scherer, Allison Potts, and Natalie Potts, and four great-grandchildren Jack McKiddy, Aubrey McKiddy, Nova Back and Brooks Bohnenstiehl.

He is preceded in death by his first wife Janet VanPatton Gobble.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, June 12 from 11:00 am to noon followed by a memorial service at Tobias Funeral Home in Beavercreek. Graveside service will be held on July 24 at Greenlawn Cemetery, Spartanburg, SC. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton (324 Wilmington Ave, Dayton, OH 45420).

Source: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/dayton-oh/robert-gobble-10212561

Pilot Information

Units Assigned

  • 8/1959-1/1960 Malden AFB, MO (T-34, T-28)
  • 2/1960-7/1960 Craig AFB, AL (T-34)
  • 8/1960-1/1961 Luke AFB, AZ (F-100C)
  • 2/1961-4/1961 Nellis AFB, NV (F-100D)
  • 5/1961-8/1962 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Okinawa, Japan (F-100D/F)
  • 9/1962-5/1964 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Okinawa, Japan (F-105D)
  • 6/1964-11/1964 4485th Test Wing, Eglin AFB, FL (F-105D/F)
  • 11/1964-11/1965 335 Tactical Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC (F-105D/F)
  • 12/1965-7/1966 333rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, Takhli RTAB, Thailand (F-105D)
  • 8/1966-8/1969 ATC, Webb AFB, TX (T-38)
  • 9/1971-1/1974 F-15 System Program Office (SPO), Wright Patterson AFB, OH (T-33)
  • 2/1974-3/1974 Nellis AFB (F-105G)
  • 4/1974-9/1974, 17th Wild Weasel Squadron, Korat RTAB, Thailand (F105G)
  • 1974-1980 F-15 SPO Program Manager/Asst Program Director
  • 1980 Retired USAF
  • 1985-1991 WPAFB F-15E SPO Chief Engineer
  • 1991 Retired from WPAFB

Awards & Decorations

Distinguished Flying Cross

Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters

Meritorious Civilian Service Award

Flight Info

T-34
T-28
T-34
F-100 C/D/F
T-38
T-33
F-105 D/F/G
F-15 E

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • SOS
  • ICAF
  • AWC

Civilian Education:

  • 1959 BS, Clemson University
  • 1971 MS, Georgia Tech
  • 1985 MIT Sloan School

Album

Gobble,Robert Cropped
Album Slideshow
Slideshow
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