COL. ROBERT CLIFTON RAWL
Died Nov. 7, 2015
Col. Robert Clifton Rawl, 98, of the Village of Walnut Creek, Goldsboro, N.C., died on Nov. 7, 2015.
Col. Rawl was born in Richmond, Va.
He was the third of four children born to Bertie Belle Clifton and Edgar Haltiwanger Rawl Sr.
His brother and sisters predeceased him.
Col. Rawl received a bachelor of science degree from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va.
He was captain of the track team and held a Southern Conference record in pole vaulting.
After graduation from college, he entered the Flying Cadet program of the U.S. Army Air Corps, completed pilot training in April 1941 and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant.
He was first assigned as flight instructor in both powered aircraft and gliders and was director of training, West Coast Air Corps Glider College, Twentynine Palms, California.
He was later assigned as operations officer of a light bomber group stationed in England and later in France.
During World War II, he flew 50 combat missions in the European theater of operations.
In addition to his combat and service flights, he was a pilot training instructor and glider pilot.
He served in the Army Air Corps and U.S. Air Force for the next 30 years.
During his military service he flew a variety of airplanes including: B-10, B-12, B-18, PT-19, BT-13 and 14; AT-7,8 and 9; B-25; A-26, T-133; RF-80; RF-84F; RF-101; and several transport aircraft.
His military career embraced assignments as squadron operations officer, squadron commander, group operations officer, wing commander and staff duties in the headquarters Army Air Corps, headquarters U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense and Ninth Air Force.
He was stationed at numerous U.S. bases and the military assistance advisory group in Lisbon, Portugal, and was the U.S. Air Force and Defense attache' to India and Nepal.
He retired from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, N.C.
Col. Rawl's military schooling included pilot training, the Armed Forces Staff College, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces and the Foreign Service Institute, where he became fluent in the Hindi language prior to his assignment to India.
In addition, Col. Rawl received a master of arts degree in international affairs from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
His military decorations included the Legion of Merit, Air Medal with clusters, French Croix de Guerre, Joint Defense Commendation Medal, and ETO Campaign Medal with six battle stars.
He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for leading his formation over a vital enemy target a second time to successfully bomb the target, despite suffering damage to his A-20 Havoc bomber.
After retirement, Col. Rawl enjoyed a second career as department administrator and instructor of political science courses at Wayne Community College, Goldsboro, N.C.
He was an avid reader and superb golfer.
He played regularly into his 90s, always walking all 18 holes and was credited with two holes-in-one at Walnut Creek Country Club.
He was a member of many national and local service and fraternal organizations including the Order of Daedalians, the World War II Glider Pilots Association and the Seymour Johnson Retired Officers' Association through which he volunteered many hours of service at the base pharmacy.
He was a charter member of the Golden K Kiwanis Club of Goldsboro.
He served twice as president, as vice president and as a member and for more than 16 years as chairman of the club's Priority One Early Childhood Development Committee, leading a large group of volunteer tutors at Northeast Elementary School.
He received many awards for this service from the Kiwanis, Northeast Elementary School and the governor of North Carolina.
He was member of most of the club's other committees at one time or another.
Col. Rawl lived his life with dignity and honor and in service to his country, community and family. He is survived by his beloved wife of more than 73 years, Dorothy I. Coppridge Rawl.
Together they made the Air Force a career and an adventure and established a fulfilling post-retirement life in Goldsboro.
He is also survived by his daughters, Dianne L. Rawl and Cheryl Rawl Blair; sons-in-law, John J. Burns and Michael Blair; grandchildren, Kelly Blair Reeves (Christian), Scott Blair (Bianca) and Christopher Blair; and great-grandchildren, Hadley Reeves, Connor Reeves, Walker Rawl Blair and Marlowe Blair; and (he hoped) a whole host of friends.
A mass of Christian burial will take place on Thursday, Nov., 12, 2015, at 11a.m. at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church with Father Gaston officiating.
Interment will take place at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.seymourfuneralhome.com.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on November 10, 2015 1:49 PM