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Robert W. "Bobby" Neel
"Bobby" Neel at Maui, 1943
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"Bobby" Neel on the Cowpens while enroute to the
Wake Island Raid - Oct '43
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Robert W. "Bobby" Neel, was my good friend, flight training class mate, squadron mate and
my flight leader in VF-6.
He and his wife were involved in our wedding and loaned us the use of their automobile for our honeymoon
before the squadron deployed in June of 1943.
Christmas, 1943, the squadron met with our dear friends, Frank and Ethal Hoogs, at Wailiku, Maui
for Christmas
Dinner, at which time we joined the Hoogs
family and others, in memorializing our late skipper. "Butch O'Hare.
He later participated in the 21 plane Memorial Flight of Hellcats back to Barber's Point on Dec 26,
1943.
Bobby was a true southern gentleman, a great fighter pilot and was loved by all. Our second son,
Neel T. Pahl was named in his honor.
Bobby was lost in combat during the invasion of Kwajalein Atoll in January of 1944.
- Hersch Pahl
These five fighter pilot were commissioned and received their
wings in Jan 1942,
L-R:- Joe Robbins, Ed Nelson, Bobby Neel, B Bonnett and Herschel Pahl. Jacksonville, FL.
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"For those who fought for it...
freedom has a flavor the protected will never know!"
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