Talk:Bob Rogers (SAAF officer)

Merge from
FYI a large part of this article came from Bob Rogers (politician), which was a duplicate and I have tagged to be deleted Gbawden (talk) 13:30, 28 September 2012 (UTC)

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For reference
This was written recently and summarizes the history quite nicely. Placing it here because there are some elements that I feel could be incorporated into the article with references.

This is the most decorated South African in the SADF. If you want to meet another South African military legend whose medals alone speak volumes - this is Lieutenant-General Robert Harry Doherty Rogers SSA SM MMM DSO DFC & bar (1921-2000). Read on for his story and this incredible rack of medals.

“Bob Rogers” was a Chief of the South African Air Force. He joined the South African Air Force (SAAF) in 1940, and served in World War II, the Korean War and the Angolan/SWA Border War.

By October 1941, Rogers was assigned to 208 Squadron (RAF) in Egypt, where he flew Hurricanes and Spitfires in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and Austria. He was shot down near Benghazi in 1942, but managed to escape capture. In August 1942, despite having a finger shot off, he fought off four Luftwaffe ME 109s. By December 1943, he had been promoted to lieutenant-colonel and placed in command of 225 Squadron, RAF. For his services he was awarded a DSO and DFC and Bar. Even his father, who was a captain in the army, had to salute him – much to the delight of both men. Towards the end of WWII, General Rogers was put in charge of his old squadron, 40 Squadron SAAF.

After the war, Rogers accepted a permanent commission in the SAAF with the rank of captain, and served in various posts, including as a flight instructor and as Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to the Governor-General of the Union. Major Rogers (as he then was) served in the Korean War in 1951 and 1953 as a fighter bomber pilot, flying Mustangs and Sabres. He earned the American DFC, Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, and the Korean Chungmu Decoration.

He went on to hold various command and staff posts, including OC of 12 Squadron SAAF and 24 Squadron SAAF, and at the end of 1974 he was appointed Acting Chief of the Air Force. He was appointed Lieutenant-General in March 1975 when he was confirmed as Chief of the Air Force, the post he held until his retirement in 1979. He settled in Knysna and in 1989 he became the Democratic Party MP for Walmer, Port Elizabeth.

His decorations and medal list:

Star of South Africa (SSA) (South Africa) Southern Cross Medal (SM) (South Africa) Military Merit Medal (MMM) (South Africa) Korea Medal (South Africa) Pro Patria Medal (South Africa) Good Service Medal, Gold (30 Years - South Africa) Good Service Medal, Silver (20 Years - South Africa) Union Medal (South Africa) Distinguished Service Order (DSO) (WW2) Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar (DFC and Bar) (WW2) 1939–45 Star (WW2) Africa Star (WW2) Italy Star (WW2) War Medal 1939–1945 - Mentioned in Dispatches (WW2) Africa Service Medal (WW2) Distinguished Flying Cross (USA)* Air Medal Bronze with Oak Leaf Cluster (USA)* Order of Military Merit (Korea) (Chungmu cordon) with Gold Star United Nations Service Medal for Korea Korean War Service Medal Grand Star of Military Merit (Chile) Army PUC Presidential Unit Citation (USA)*


 * American awards issued to 2 SAAF Squadron members under their command in the Korean War.

Anyone with a military background will know that that list of decorations and medals is the sign of a truly exceptional human being.

Reference, wikipedia, image from the dust cover of his biography "Bob Rogers - his personal story as told by Roger Williams" - story for the South African Legion by Peter Dickens BoonDock (talk) 22:17, 9 November 2019 (UTC)