George Spencer Roberts (1918 - 1984)

Born 24 Sep 1918 in London, Kanawha, West Virginia, United States

Died 8 Mar 1984 at age 65 in California, United States

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Biography

George Roberts is Notable.

Colonel George Roberts served in the United States Army Air Corps in World War II
Service started: 14 Jul 1941
Unit(s): 99th Fighter Squadron
Service ended: 29 Feb 1968

George Spencer Roberts was one of the famous Tuskegee Airman. The Tuskegee Airmen were known for heroic combat service in support of Allied Forces in the European Theater. George graduated from the first class of pilots and eventually became a squadron commander.

George Spencer Roberts was born on 24 Sep 1918 in London, Kanawha, West Virginia, United States.

He graduated from Fairmount's Dunbar High School in 1934 and from West Virginia State college (now University) in 1938, with a bachelor's degree in mechanical arts.

After receiving his pilot's license in the Civilian Pilot Training Program, Roberts also completed Tuskegee's aviation cadet training, becoming the first Black American military pilot from West Virginia. He joined the 99th Pursuit Squadron (later known as the Fighter Squadron), and on June 1, 1942, became the first Black commander of that squadron, serving in North African and Italy.

After the war he continued his career in the newly-formed Air Force, serving in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and retired with the rank of Colonel in 1968.

George died on 8 Mar 1984 in Fair Oaks California aged 65.

Sources

• https://cafriseabove.org/george-s-spanky-roberts/
• "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMX2-3Y4 : 5 December 2014), George S Roberts, enlisted 14 Jul 1941, Ft Hayes, Columbus, Ohio, United States; citing "Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946," database, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) (http://aad.archives.gov : National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 1263923, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
• "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VSP2-KTB : 8 January 2021), George Roberts, Mar 1984; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
• "California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VG1J-8GZ : 26 November 2014), George Spencer Roberts, 08 Mar 1984; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento.
• "BillionGraves Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDL-8N22 : 26 June 2018), GEORGE S ROBERTS, died 8 Mar 1984; citing BillionGraves (http://www.billiongraves.com : 2012), Burial at Mount Vernon Memorial Park, Fair Oaks, Sacramento, California, United States.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/112303690/george-spencer-roberts: accessed 19 November 2022), memorial page for COL George Spencer “Spanky” Roberts Sr. (24 Sep 1918–8 Mar 1984), Find A Grave: Memorial #112303690, citing Mount Vernon Memorial Park, Fair Oaks, Sacramento County, California, USA; Maintained by Billy Budd (contributor 51223934) .
• George S Roberts in the U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010, Ancestry.com. U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011., Ancestry Record 2441 #5576722

See also:

• |WikiTree Tuskegee Space Page