Robert G. Davidson

He first flew the Grumman SA-16 Albatross for search and rescue in Saudi Arabia, then onto Strategic Air Command and the B-47 Stratojet nuclear bomber during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Serving in Vietnam, Bob flew the de Havilland Caribou flying supplies, manpower and retrieving the wounded from the 5th Special Forces camps located in villages throughout Vietnam. Back stateside, Bob flew the C-141 Starlifter for Military Aircraft Command, "around-the-world" embassy runs as well as back and forth to Vietnam to bring the wounded, and, sadly, those soldiers killed in action, back to the states.

One of Bob's most gratifying missions was on Dec. 23, 1968, flying the captured crew of the USS Pueblo from North Korea back to the United States. As Bob described it, the crew was bused to the Demilitarized Zone border with South Korea and ordered to walk one by one across the "Bridge of No Return." The relief felt by the 82 surviving crew members was palpable as the plane took off heading home. Eleven months of captivity, torture and starvation was over.

After 20 years in the Air Force, Bob retired. His second career was in rental properties, first in California and then Idaho.

Bob is survived by his wife, Mary Ann; two sons, Rob (Jennifer) and Pat (Darcy); five grandchildren; two brothers, Tom and Bill (Sandra) and their families.

Cremation has taken place.