Project Begun by Gen. Ed Hall and Sen. Strom Thurmond Completed By Sen. Jim DeMint
 Sen. Jim DeMint congratulates Maj. Robert Wilson, USAF (Ret.) after presenting him with the Silver Star.
Maj. Wilson served in the Army Air Corps during World War II as a C-46
pilot. He was awarded the Silver Star for distinguishing himself
through heroic and extraordinary achievements while participating in
aerial flight during the last great airborne operation in Europe.
The Silver Star is the third highest decoration for valor in combat
that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States
Armed Forces.
In 1998, Gen. Ed Hall of Spartanburg asked Sen. Strom Thurmond to
assist in obtaining the Distinguished Flying Cross for Major Robert
Wilson of
Woodruff. Unfortunately, the medal was not approved because there was not enough documentation at that time.
In March, 2007, Gen. Hall requested that Sen. Jim DeMint look into the
request because some new paperwork had been found by the family, and
Maj. Wilson had now reached age 89.
Sen. DeMint worked with the US Air Force and was able to get quick
action on processing the new material. In the meantime, the Air Force
upgraded the award to the Silver Star Medal.
Gen. Hall and other “War Birds” from the Upstate asked to coordinate a
ceremony for Maj. Wilson, who is also an artist and has a military
painting hanging in the lobby of the Spartanburg Airport.
The citation accompanying the Silver Star reads in part:
First Lieutenant Robert W, Wilson … distinguished himself by gallantry
in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the
United States near Wesel, Germany, on 24 March 1945. On this date as
pilot of the new C-46 D aircraft, Lt. Wilson exhibited exceptional
flying ability and skills of a more senior pilot, as well as complete
devotion to duty while flying a heavily loaded troop carrier aircraft
with one engine practically useless to the designated drop zone during
Operation VARSITY.
After managing to keep the crippled aircraft airborne with his flight
formation, his aircraft was riddled with several 20 mm shells, small
arms fire, and one 88 mm shell that passed from the bottom of the
aircraft through the top without exploding.
Somehow, Lt. Wilson managed to fly his battle-riddled aircraft back
through this barrage of enemy defenses to drop the paratroopers to the
drop zone and head his aircraft and crew back to his home station of
Achiet Air Field, France.
Upon contacting home base of the aircraft’s dire status, air traffic
controllers had given Lt. Wilson and crew the order to bail out for
fear he would crash the aircraft on the runway and not allow the other
three returning aircraft to land.
Desperately wanting to save the lives of his crew and possibly the
crippled aircraft, Lt. Wilson orbited the airfield to allow the
returning aircraft time to land. Displaying the airmanship of a more
senior pilot, Lt. Wilson attempted a wheels-up landing on the main
runway at 130 miles per hour.
With no brakes upon landing on the main runway, Lt. Wilson expertly
left the main runway, kicked full left rudder and slid into a grinding
high speed “ground loop” stopping just short of the remaining parked
aircraft.
Through this demonstrated airmanship, Lt. Wilson managed to save the
lives of his crew and his aircraft from the most costly airborne
operation during World War II. By his gallantry and devotion to duty,
Lt. Wilson has reflected great credit upon himself and the United
States Army Air Corps.
(Gilbert Scales assisted with this report).
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