LEATHERS, Robert Lee 1931 - 1960

LEATHERS, RABER, FOSTER

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 12/7/2011 at 15:51:31

"The Fairfield (Ia.) Daily Ledger"
Monday, November 21, 1960
Page 1, Columns 1 & 2

Fairfield Airman Dies In Pacific Jet Crash

Capt. Robert L. LEATHERS, 29, Marine Corps pilot and son of Mr. and Mrs. Forrest LEATHERS, rural route 3, Fairfield, lost his life on Nov. 18 when the jet aircraft he was flying crashed in the Pacific ocean.

The original message received from the United States Marine Corps at Washington D. C. told of the crash, and the second message received yesterday stated that a search had been conducted in the area but no remains had been found. The search has been discontinued.

The messages states, "Capt. Robert L. LEATHERS, 29, son of Mr. and Mrs. Forrest LEATHERS, route 2, Fairfield, lost his life Nov. 18 sixteen miles south of Okinawa while piloting his F8-U aircraft while on duty with the U. S. Marine Corps."

The second message stated that search operations were conducted in an effort to locate him but the efforts failed.

Capt. LEATHERS had only six more weeks of duty remaining at Okinawa after which he was scheduled to return to the United States. At that time he was to receive a promotion in rank to major, and to return to Quantico, Va., for further training.

Bad Weather

The Fairfield flyer was attempting to make an instrument landing on Okinawa in foggy, rainy weather, when either the plane or some of the instruments failed. His plane went down in the ocean.

Capt. LEATHERS had spent the past 12 years of his life in the service of his country and he had made rapid advancement in the Marine Corps. He received his "Wings of Gold" at Corpus Christi Air Base in Texas in March, 1956, and during the past four years was attached to the Marine Wing at El Toro Marine Corps Station at Santa Ana, Calif.

Mrs. LEATHERS and their four children reside at Santa Ana.

Born in 1931

Robert L. LEATHERS was born April 29, 1931, in Fairfield, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Forrest LEATHERS, route 2, Fairfield. He was reared and educated in this community, graduating form the Fairfield high school with the class of 1948. He received his degree from the University of Iowa in 1952.

On June 15, the same year, he was united in marriage to Jean RABER who survives.

He joined the Marine Corps 12 years ago and attended numerous schools while in training. They include the Marine Corps Training Station at Quantico, Va., the Naval Auxiliary Air Station at Barin Field, Foley, Calif.; and the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station at Santa Ana, Calif.

In July, 1957, he was selected as aide-de-camp to Major General Thomas G. Ennis who was commanding general of the Third Marine Air Wing at El Toro.

Capt. LEATHERS is survived by his wife and four small children, Lee Ann, 7, Sanford, 5; Megan, 3½ and Amy Jane, 2, all of Santa Ana, Calif.; his parents and one sister, Mrs. LeRoy FOSTER, all of Fairfield; and a brother, Max LEATHERS, also in service and stationed at Rapid City, S. D.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I am not related to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: His body was never recovered. He is noted with a memorial inscription on his parents' gravestone at Evergreen Cemetery, Lot 3rd.091.

Jefferson Obituaries maintained by Joey Stark.
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