Lt. Col. Robert Hobgood, USAF

Lt. Colonel Robert Lacy Hobgood, 88, of Pensacola, FL passed away at the Joyce Goldenberg Hospice Inpatient Residence in Pensacola, FL on March 17, 2008 with his loving family at his bedside.

A native of Kinston, NC and a resident of Pensacola, Florida since 1975. He retired from the U.S. Air Force after 32 years of service to our nation.
He completed twenty-two years and five 123 hours of flying as Navigator including 1200 hours of aerial combat time in WWII, Korea and the Pacific. He was proud to have flown with the 8th Bombardment Squadron who did “rock & sock” at the Commie foe in Korea. His military awards and decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross w/1 OLC, Air Medal w/4 OLC, Joint Service Commendation Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Theater Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Medal , Armed Forces Reserve Medal, WWII Victory Medal and the Korean National Medal.

He graduated from The Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina in 1940 and later earned his MBA from the University of Michigan. In 1941, he was called to duty as a Ground officer in the US Army Air Corps. In 1942 he entered navigator training at Turner Field in Albany, GA where he received his navigator wings. Flew frequent flights into the Pacific and the Galapagos Islands on LB-30, B-24 and B-18 aircraft. Later flew as a navigator for General Claire Chennault’s flight crews, mostly on C-47 aircraft.
After he retired he enjoyed life with his family in Pensacola.

Bob was an avid gardener and always had a beautiful vegetable garden with a large crop for his family to enjoy and to share with neighbors and friends. His backyard had a large fig tree and a lemon tree which produced abundantly for lemon pies and fig preserves. A birdfeeder provided entertainment daily from his kitchen table. He loved to travel and very often took the scenic route to explore new places. His favorite places to travel were the beach and the North Carolina mountains.

A true North Carolinan to the heart who really enjoyed a good barbeque sandwich and cold slice of watermelon.
A hero with courage and strength which inspired those who knew and loved him.
A loving grandfather who will be missed but never forgotten.

Lt. Col. Hobgood attended Trinity Presbyterian Church in Pensacola, FL and is survived by his wife, Rebecca Hobgood; his four daughters, Susan Foreman and her husband, Daniel of Crowley, LA; Linda Silecky of Pensacola, FL; Bobbie Hobgood-Lewter and her husband, Fred of Gulf Breeze, FL and Brenda Pearson and her husband, Robert of Jonesville, NC; Carol H. Lee of AZ, ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Burial will be held at Barrancas National Cemetery with full Military Honors. In his honor, donations can be made to the American Red Cross, Trinity Presbyterian Church or Joyce Goldenberg Hospice, Pensacola, FL.