LtCol Robert Akers

[BobWoods]

Robert Oakman Akers: Air Force officer 'was all military'

12:00 AM CDT on Saturday, September 12, 2009

By JOE SIMNACHER / The Dallas Morning News

[email protected]

Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Robert Oakman Akers supported combat actions in and out of uniform from World War II through Operation Desert Storm. He flew bombers, reconnaissance aircraft and transport planes during World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam.

After retiring from the military in 1967, he worked for numerous aircraft companies and related industries. His career included serving as a company consultant during Operation Desert Storm. Col. Akers, 88, died Tuesday in hospice care at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital of complications of a leaky heart valve.

Services were held Friday at Calvary Baptist Church in Grand Prairie, where Col. Akers had been a member since 1945, and he was buried in Moore Memorial Gardens in Arlington.

"He was all military, even out of the military," said his daughter, Katrina Pawley of Grand Prairie. "Everything was always on time, very routine. He was either flying or he was instructing."

Col. Akers was born in San Francisco but grew up in Lubbock, where he graduated from high school and received a bachelor's degree from what is now Texas Tech University. He then earned a degree from Carver Chiropractic College in Oklahoma City and started his practice in Grand Prairie. He was the first chiropractor in Grand Prairie, his daughter said.

During World War II, he was a B-17 pilot in Europe.

Col. Akers' service decorations over his Air Force career included receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross on three occasions and the Air Medal twice, his family said.

After the war, Col. Akers returned to Grand Prairie to resume his practice. He remained in the Air Force Reserve and was called to active duty for the Korean War. That's when he decided to make the Air Force a career, his daughter said.

Col. Akers was one of the first pilots to qualify to fly the C-130, his daughter said. In Vietnam, Col. Akers flew C-130s below the radar to pick up the wounded, she said.

"He has the most hours ever recorded in a C-130," his daughter said. "He was also the first to take a C-130 into the eye of a hurricane."

Col. Akers retired from the Air Force in 1967 and worked for Lockheed Corp., LTV Corp. and Rediffusion. He tested aircraft, trained pilots overseas and was a consultant, Mrs. Pawley said.

In addition to his daughter, Col. Akers is survived by his wife, Katie Akers of Grand Prairie.

[herkman]

I wonder if that is the same man who came down here to show us the C130A in 1958. If I recall correctly the aircraft was based in Japan.

Was having a local ride when the unit who flew the P2V5 was having a big parade with a fly by.

Bob heard them ask for for a clearance and asked if he could come behind.

Now a C130 at full belt does make a tad more noise than a twin engined recip and the noise of the C130 following the P2V caused every one to look up, Bob pulled in a smart climb and also shut down 1 and 4.

Over the PA which was tuned to the tower frequency, came the US cry " lets see you Aussies do that"

Cheers and yells turned the parade into shambles, but who cared.

To me then a lowly E5, he showed every help and consideration and also I may have been the first enlisted man from the RAAF to fly in the 130.

Gppd on ya Bob smooth skies.

Regards

Col Tigwell