He is preceded in death by the love of his life, Cile. Upon retirement, they resided in San Antonio and were members of Windcrest United Methodist Church. He was the epitome of a gentleman and a Christian. America has lost another great one from the Greatest Generation. He dearly loved his family. General "D", as he was affectionately known, is survived by his three children, Bob Delashaw, Jr (Sandy), Judy Delashaw Lewis (James), and Jim Delashaw (Linda), numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and a few great-great grandchildren plus numerous nieces and nephews.
Graveside services will take place at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery at 3:00 p.m. on Feb 29, 2012. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, in the name of Robert L Delashaw, MG, USAF (Ret).
Arrangements under the direction of Sunset Funeral Home, San Antonio, TX.
Major General ROBERT L. DELASHAW Biography
Retired Nov. 1, 1969.
Major General Robert Lee Delashaw is the deputy chief of staff for materiel, Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va. He is charged with the professional and technical responsibilities associated with procurement, distribution and management of materiel resources in the successful accomplishment of TAC's mission.
General Delashaw was born in Whitesboro, Texas, in 1914. He graduated from Whitesboro High School in 1933. He began his military career by enlisting in the U.S. Navy in December 1933. Before leaving the Navy in 1937, he attained the rate of machinist mate, second class. In June 1939, he enlisted as an Aviation Cadet in the U.S. Army and in November 1940 graduated as a second lieutenant and rated pilot at Kelly Field, Texas.
He was assigned to the 20th Fighter Group at Hamilton Field, Calif., as a P-40 pilot. He was transferred to a fighter pilot replacement training unit at Sarasota, Fla. In November 1943, he was assigned to the 405th Fighter-Bomber Group and in February 1944 went with the group to England. Four months later, he became the group commander. By the end of the war in Europe he had flown 64 combat missions in the P-47 Thunderbolt logging more than 150 combat hours.
After returning to the United States in December 1944 he became the assistant air inspector, Air Training Command. In November 1946, he became a senior air instructor with the Oregon Air National Guard where he remained for three years.
General Delashaw entered the Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, Va, in August 1949. After graduation in December 1949, he went to Turkey to become the operations officer for the U.S. Air Force Group of the Joint U.S. Military Mission for Aid to Turkey where he remained until March 1952.
He returned to the United States and was named commander of the 108th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Godman Air Force Base, Ky. In June 1953, he assumed command of the first F-100 Super Sabre wing in the U.S. Air Force - the 479th Fighter Day Wing at George Air Force Base, Calif.
After two years at George, the general entered the National War College, Washington, D.C. After graduation in June 1956, he was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, as deputy director, Directorate of Requirements, and in April 1959 was reassigned to the position of deputy director, Directorate of Operational Requirements.
In July 1960, after four years in the Pentagon, General Delashaw went to Europe where he became commander of the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing at Bitburg, Germany. While assigned to the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing, he flew the first F-105D to make a nonstop flight from the United States to Europe.
He returned to the United States in June 1963, and was assigned as special assistant to the commandant, U.S. Air Force's Air Ground Operations School, Hurlburt Field, Fla., and in August of that year was named commandant. During the spring and summer of 1964, General Delashaw participated in Indian River I, II and III as Air Force forces commander, and in the fall of 1964, in Goldfire I, as AFFOR deputy commander. He next was assigned to the Nineteenth Air Force, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., as deputy commander.
In November 1965, General Delashaw became TAC's inspector general; and in July 1966, he was named deputy chief of staff for materiel, TAC, Langley Air Force Base, Va., his present position.
His decorations include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal and both the French and Belgium Croix de Guerre with Palm. He is a command pilot.
(Current as of March 1, 1967)
