Naval Air Station Honors Former Trainee Who Became Decorated WWII Flyer

ERMA — Saluted as a “genuine American hero,” sporting ribbons that included the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal, retired Navy Cmdr. Robert Bergeron returned to Naval Air Station Wildwood (NASW) where, as a young officer, he honed flight and dive-bomber training that served him through the Pacific Theater in World War II.
At a brief July 20 ceremony at Hangar No. 1, where, when he was a young aviator, he marched and learned, then flew and flew and flew.
John Fitzgerald, a NASW volunteer, learned of Bergeron’s wartime exploits and meritorious service while speaking about the station to a group in Smithville. He was determined to bring Bergeron and his family to the place where it began as the world was about to explode in war..
“When I heard he won three Distinguished Flying Crosses, I was totally astounded. I said, ‘This is a tremendous story,’” Fitzgerald said.
Citing his own boat racing career, Fitzgerald told the crowd, “Nothing touches this,” speaking of meeting Bergeron. “He is a genuine American hero.”
As the veteran walked toward the podium, then stood at attention, Fitzgerald saluted the 94-year-old, who smartly returned the salute, then presented the plaque.
“We are honored to have you here. It is an honor to those who served here, and those who died here. We are very appreciative,” said Dr. Joseph Salvatore, NASW executive director. Later he handed Bergeron the microphone for the assembled gathering to hear the veteran speak.
Bergeron was accompanied to the event by Jean Bergeron, his wife of 73 years, two of three sons and their daughter, as well as other family members.
The honoree, of Plymouth, N.H., “where they filmed ‘On Golden Pond,’” was a resident of Brockton, Mass. when he enlisted.
“I spent a lot of time in the air, and a lot of time away from home,” said Bergeron. Asked what he recalled most about training at the local air station, which was commissioned April 1, 1943, Bergeron replied, “We did a lot of flying. We were young pilots. The Navy was expanding rapidly. They kept us busy flying, military drilling and marching.” There was emphasis on navigation, he recalled. Through his service, Bergeron flew dive bombers, and a wide variety of other planes.
One of his Distinguished Flying Cross medals was presented by Fleet Adm. William F. “Bull” Halsey, Jr.
Among aircraft carriers he served in was USS Hancock (CV-19) and USS Tarawa (CV-40). Bergeron wore a Tarawa ball cap to the July 20 ceremony along with his blue commander’s dress jacket with five ribbons and gold naval aviator’s crest.
Daniel Bergeron said the only war story his father ever told him was that, on the day he, Daniel, was born, his father was flying a plane whose engine quit, and he went into the sea. There, he was rescued, by a Coast Guard board. “It wasn’t a Navy boat,” said the veteran, recalling he wore his lifejacket and found himself treading water.
After retirement from the Navy, Bergeron taught high school mathematics. Teaching was his first vocation, having been a student at State Teachers College, Bridgewater (Mass.) prior to his 1941 enlistment.
According to a newspaper from Brockton, Mass., when Bergeron returned from the war, he flew 49 missions, reached the China coast, strafed a Japanese destroyer escort of some 7,000 tons between Pescadores Island and the Chinese mainland, “and sank a large landing craft.”
Flying on instruments through fog, the flyers were part of a unit that struck 24 airfields on Formosa and Okinawa Jima, including Acico and Kato air bases.
Pilots in their group knocked out 79 Japanese planes, 10 cargo ships and five barges were sunk, among other targets.