Robert L. Barto

Born Robert Leighton Barto in Belmar, New Jersey September 19, 1925. He grew up 4 blocks from the Atlantic Ocean in a 1 square mile town called Ocean Grove, New Jersey.

When World War II began, most of the men in town joined the military, leaving the teenagers to step up being the “men in town”.

At 15, Robert stepped up to the fire department and was a volunteer Fire fighter for the Ocean Grove Fire Department as well as a mail carrier because all the of age, able bodied men were at war, scattered around the globe.

He did this for 2 and a half years, and as soon as he was able, on October 29, 1943 he went to Philadelphia and signed himself into the Marine Corps. He began active service November 12, 1943. During training, he attended Air Liaison School on Coronado Island, Aviation Radio School  in Jacksonville, Florida, and he was certified as a “rifle sharpshooter” in weapons qualifications.

After training he was stationed in Hawaii from September 1944 to January of 1945. His unit, part of the 5th Marine Division, was deployed, and landed on Iwo Jima February 19, 1945. During a battle, after which he received a commendation that said, “while serving as a radio operator, Corporal Barto, volunteered for duty as a stretcher bearer and a general duty man, assisting in moving supplies and evacuating the wounded during heavy mortar and sniper fire”. 

In May of 1946, Robert was Honorably discharged from the Marine Corps.

In October of 1947, the same year that the US Air Force was established as a separate branch of the military, Robert enlisted in the Army-Air Corps and attended Airplane and Engine Mechanic School at Kessler Air Force Base in Biloxi Mississippi and in 1949, he headed to Louisiana where he started Pilot Training at Barksdale Air Force Base.

After Pilot school, in 1950, he was sent to HIckman Air Force Base on Oahu, Hawaii. During the time he was stationed on Oahu, he flew cargo planes during the Korean war.

Over the next two decades, he was stationed in many places across the US. During this time of active duty, he married and he and his wife had four children. Continuing his career as a pilot, husband and father.

As a pilot in the Viet Nam conflict he was sent on numerous missions in several capacities. In 1967, during one of these missions, Major Barto received an Air Medal, the citation stating that as a combat crew member in southeast asia during this time, he and his crew accomplished a number of important missions under extremely hazardous conditions including hostile ground fire.

In 1970, Major Robert Barto retired from the Air Force out of Kelly Air Force base in San Antonio Texas, and immediately moved to La Jolla, California. Where he has stayed and enjoyed his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren living close by or visiting from near and far.

Over his career, as a Marine as well as Air Force Pilot, the following is the list of medals, ribbons and citations Major Robert Barto received:

Citation- Maj Gen Bourke, 5th Marine Division

WWII Victory Medal

Army Occupation Medal

American Campaign Medal

National Defense Service Medal with 1 Bronze Service Star

Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal

Presidential Unit Citation

Air Medal with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster

Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

Air Force Reserve Medal

Viet Nam Service Medal with 2 Bronze Service Stars

Republic of Viet Nam Campaign Medal

Air Force Longevity Service Award with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters

Good Conduct Medal