Col. Roberts — Those Who Served with Dad

In the letters

Commanding officer promoted from Lt. Col. to full Colonel; Austin wrote he had been with the 19th Bomb Group in the Philippines when Japan invaded.

Researched note

Name: Col. John A. Roberts Jr. (letters: Col. / Lt. Col. Roberts)
Branch of Service: U.S. Army Air Forces
Activity During WWII: Commanding officer, 19th Bombardment Group (VH); assumed command 16 July 1944; accompanied the group’s first Tokyo mission from Guam (25 Feb 1945).

Austin’s letter about Philippines 1941 (that their CO had been with the 19th Bomb Group when Japan invaded) is reported here as a letter claim. Official lists independently identify Col. John A. Roberts Jr. as CO of the 19th Bombardment Group (VH) from 16 July 1944 through the Guam campaign—matching rank and timing in the letters.

Sources: Army Air Corps Museum — 19th Bombardment Group commanders; 19th BG (VH) 1945 unit history transcript.