Robert Lavern Brandt

Robert LaVern Brandt, age 97, of Beavercreek, Ohio passed away on Thursday, May 5, 2022, at the Traditions of Beavercreek senior living community.

Our Dad was the middle child of five born to Edith M. (Austin) and William J. Brandt on the family farm near Fennimore, Wisconsin on November 9, 1924. Dad's older siblings were sister Eleanor Jane born in 1920 and brother William Austin born in 1923. His younger sisters were Katherine Ruth born in 1928 and Arlene Elizabeth born in 1930.

Farm life in the 1930's wasn't easy, but the Brandt family of seven plus a hired man managed through hard work and play while living in the big white two-story farmhouse. During elementary school, the children walked each day to the one-room McGhan country school house joined by other Brandts from two Uncle's farms nearby. Dad's most memorable family experience was a long road trip to the 1934 Chicago World's Fair, where Dad was impressed by a house made of glass bricks and the full-sized automobile assembly line, streamlined train, and shiny new DC-2 transport airplane. Dad and his brother learned to drive at 14 and later they drove the Ford Model A to Union Free High School in Fennimore. High School was easy for Dad allowing for extra-curricular activities in Band playing the clarinet and Agriculture Club, where as a Junior, he and three classmates were selected to judge various animals at the Chicago International Livestock Exposition. Dad was also elected Junior Prom Prince forcing him to select a Princess and going on his first date. Later that year, Dad was elected Senior Class President and the US entered World War II after the Pearl Harbor attack in December. Dad's brother had already enlisted in the Army Air Corps and some of Dad's friends joined the Navy or Army before graduation, but Dad could not get his parent's consent to enlist in the military until November when he turned eighteen.

Dad enlisted in the Army Air Corp on December 1, 1942, and was called to active duty in February of 1943 for basic training in Fresno, CA. He began flight training that summer progressing from basic to complex flight training at civilian training facilities in Santa Ana and Oxnard, CA with follow-on military aircraft training at Chico and Stockton Army Airfields, CA. Achieving 250 flight hours, he was awarded silver pilot wings and promoted to Second Lieutenant in April of 1944. Dad continued training to become a B-17 copilot, progressing from Las Vegas to Lincoln Army Airfields where he was assigned as copilot to B-17 crew #6356 and sent to Alexander, LA in June for combat-crew training. In September 1944 his crew received orders and ferried a new B-17G to the 8th Air Force in England enroute to their follow-on combat assignment to the 730th Bomb Squadron, 452nd Bomb Group, Army Air Force Station 142, Deopham Green, Norfolk, England. After settling in their new home, Dad and his crew flew their first and roughest flight of 25 required missions that were later increased to 30, then 35 before they completed their last daylight bombing mission on Feb 28, 1945. Dad spent his 20th birthday on his 11th mission and was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in January 1945. He flew his last five missions with new crews as their experienced copilot to approve their communication and formation procedures. Dad's voyage home was an Atlantic crossing on Queen Mary without escort, at full speed changing course often to avoid enemy submarines. His ship's arrival at New York Harbor was greeted by fireboats spraying water, and yachts of waving people, one with a band and group of WACS waving silk panties. From March to December 1945, Dad trained as a pursuit ferry pilot to move new fighter aircraft from factories in Texas to the west coast while assigned to Transportation Command, Love Field in Dallas. When the war ended in August, Dad got tired of flying old trainer aircraft to the boneyard and was granted a discharge to inactive duty with a reserve officer commission from Truax Field, Madison, WI.

Dad celebrated his 21st birthday at the family farm and started to date Jeanette Ann Chamberlain of Boscobel, WI while making plans to attend college on the GI Bill. In February 1946 Dad entered Purdue University to pursue an Aeronautical Engineering degree. School went well until Purdue Flying Club fun and part time work hurt his grades so he applied to return to active duty during the Berlin Airlift and dropped out of school Spring 1948. Dad continued to date Jeanette that summer then returned to active duty in August 1948 to Randolph AFB, TX to train as a T-6D Instructor Pilot and later assigned to Waco, TX as a qualified Instructor Pilot. He continued to correspond with Jeanette, convinced her to join him as his wife in Waco, and they were married on December 30, 1948. After a year in Waco, Dad applied to be an Atomic Weapons officer and was sent to in Keesler AFB, MS for electronics training while Mom (Jeanette) returned to Boscobel, WI for the birth of their first daughter Cynthia Ann in November 1949. After electronics training and joining Mom in WI, the family returned to Waco and discovered budget cuts to Atomic Weapons training forced Dad's reassignment to Air Sea Rescue and unaccompanied tour to Guam. The family returned to WI and Dad traveled to Guam via troopship arriving April 1950. Dad loved the tropical island of Guam, but was soon reassigned to Clark AFB, Philippines to fly modified B-17s with a life boat underneath for sea rescue missions. By October 1950 the Korean War had started and Dad was ordered to MacDill AFB, FL for SA-16 (Albatross amphib) qualification training. Enroute to MacDill, Dad joined the family in Baraboo, WI for the birth of their second daughter Mary Roberta in November 1950. Upon the family's return to Clark AFB, Dad pulled various combat rescue alert tours in Korea. During one tour in January 1952, their first son Robert Lavern Jr was born at Clark AFB. In June of 1952 Dad was promoted to Captain and continued SA-16 rescue flights, instructing other pilots until reassigned to Hamilton AFB, CA in March 1953 as a military flight (air traffic) controller. While at Hamilton AFB, the family's youngest daughter Teresa Marie was born in June 1953 and youngest son Steven James was born in July 1954. Dad had continued his work in military flight control until offered an opportunity to return to college on active duty the summer of 1954. The entire family (with 5 children under 5 years old) moved to LaFayette, IN where Dad completed his Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautical Engineering at Purdue University in 1956. Dad's next assignment for 6 years was to Wright-Patterson AFB, OH for duty as project officer in the B52 Systems Program Office (SPO). He was promoted to Major in December 1961 and given a follow-on assignment in the summer of 1962 to the Weapons Laboratory at Eglin AFB, FL as project officer for conventional weapons. In July 1963 the Air Force sent Dad to the University of Connecticut where he earned an MBA Degree in Engineering Management in August 1964. Dad's assignment to the Air Force Systems Command Headquarters, Andrews AFB, MD in Sep 1964 required a great deal of travel as project officer for the F-111 program. Because of pilot shortages in the Vietnam War he was called up for C-130 aircraft training in 1968. In April 1969 he was assigned to the 345th Tactical Airlift Squadron, 314th Tactical Airlift Wing, Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Ching Chaun Kang AFB, Taiwan. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel July 1969 and flew throughout Southeast Asia moving everything from munitions, food, fuel, troops, and Vietnamese refugees with livestock. His remote tour concluded in July 1970 with a reassignment back to Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. During his second System Program Officer assignment, Dad served in the Life Support System Program Office, Aeronautical System Division, Air Force Systems Command. His work involved research, development and procurement of flight clothing, chemical warfare suits, rescue radios, flight helmets, oxygen masks and aircraft ejection seats. After 5 years he retired on 1 August 1975 from the Regular Air Force with over thirty years active duty and 4111 total flight hours (499 combat hours).

He continued to be active in the community with over 3000 volunteer hours at the National Air Force Museum in Dayton OH, and the Beavercreek Senior Center driving elderly to appointments. He tried his hand at real estate sales, and became quite an accomplished artist in oil painting and especially oil pastels. Mom passed away in 1992, but in 1998 dad was able to continue his worldly travels with his second wife Bette Curtis until her passing in 2018.

Dad is survived by his loving children, daughter Cynthia Poole & husband Russell of Thurmont MD, son Dr. Robert Brandt, Jr. of Oakwood, OH, son Steven Brandt, Lt Col Ret, Miramar Beach, FL, Step-son Sandy Curtis & wife Grace of Waynesville, OH, and Step-son Scot Curtis & wife Erica of Chillicothe, OH. His grandchildren, Tyler Ohe, Spencer Ohe, Brandt Stinson, Janet Brandt, Rachel Green, Lorri Brandt, Wesley Brandt, Byron Stinson, Austin Brandt, and Deanna Brandt. His Great Grandchildren Audrey Stinson, Stella Stinson, Charlotte Ohe, Ascher Stinson, and Evelyn Brandt.

Dad was preceded in death by his beloved 1st wife Jeanette A Brandt and 2nd wife Bette Curtis Brandt, his parents, William and Edith Brandt, his daughter Mary R Brandt & spouse Timothy Marton, and daughter Teresa Stinson.

The visitation will be at Newcomer Funeral Home, 3380 Dayton-Xenia Road, Beavercreek, OH 45432 on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at 10:00 am with the funeral service to follow at 11:00 am. Dad will be laid to rest with a Military Escort at Beaver Creek Township Cemetery, 1980 Dayton-Xenia Rd, Beaver Creek, OH following the services a lunch for close family and friends will be held at VFW Post 8312, 2389 Dayton-Xenia Road,
Beavercreek, OH at 1:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation be made in Dad's name to the National Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson AFB, OH, Hospice of Dayton, American Cancer Society, or a charity of your choice.

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