The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-01-10
Service Briefs

Staff Sgt. Robert ]. Estermyer,
husband OF Mrs. Virginia Ester
myer, 5 s. Grove St, has arrived
home from England for a 81 day
furlough. Staff Sgt. Estermyer has
completed 35 missions as a waist
gunner on a BIZ. Flying Fortress.
over Germany and occupied Eur
ope. His~ most dangerous missions
were OVER Berlin, Munich, and Ham.
burg, where flax was extremely
heavy. His first mission was on
D-Day plus 8. His pilot and the
crew named their Bit. Begin the
Beguine' because they were the
lead ship in the entire flight squad
! on. Their plane was hit many
times with flax, seriously wound
ing several members OF the crew
on different occasions, but they
always managed 10 return to Eng
land safely. He says many planes
in their squadron were not quite
so lucky.
Staff Sgt. Robert Estermyer
wears the Distinguished Flying
Cross, the Air Medal with Three
Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Euro
pean Theater OF Action ribbon with
two bronze stars, one for D-Day,
and the other, the Battle OF the
Skies.
lie was indicted into the Army
Air Force in May. 1912, and began
his basic training in Fresno, Cali.
fornia. Next, he attended arma-
emnt school at Lowery Field, Den
yer. Colorado, then went to Flexi-
Bile Gunnery School at Army Air
field, Las Vegas, Nevada, where he
received his wings. After complet-
ing his schooling, he returned to
Ypsilanti for a furlough in Janu-
airy, 1913. Later he reported to
Ardmore. Oklahoma, where he re-
ceived his overseas squadron flight
training on a BIZ He Joined the
Sth Air Force in England, in May.
1913.
Staff Sgt. Robert Estermyer is
% years old, the youngest son of
Mr.. and Mrs. Peter p. Estermyer,
400 Il. Michigan Ave, who have
two other sons serving overseas.
Staff Sgt. Fred Estermyer. seth
Infantry Div, who served two
years in the South Pacific and Ha-
wall returned to the States in
March. 1913. He was sent to Eng
land in Nov. 1913. Pfc. Peter p.
Estermyer, Jr., the eldest son. is
in the Army Ordnance (Tanb Divi.
sion, In March, 1913. he was sent
to New Guinea. He is now in the
Dutch East Indies.
Staff Sgt. Robert Estermyer did
not know that his brother Fred wan
in England until he arrived home.
otherwise they would have had an
opportunity to meet each other Sgt.
Robert Estermyer did, however,
spend two and a half days in Eng
land with his nephew, Leonard
Schultz, G. NJ. sc, of Toledo, Ohio.
Leonard is stationed in France on
an Let. He had short furlough
to England. and decided to visit
his uncle. He finally found him at
replacement depot where Staff
sgt. Estermyer was awaiting trans.
port back to the States. The boys
are more like brothers as there is
only two years difference in their
ages. They had not seen each other
in two years.
After his furlough, Staff Sgt
Robert Estermyer will report tc
Miami Beach, Florida, where he will
remain for a complete rest for an
indefinite period of time. His wife
Virginia and two year old daugh
ter, Karen Jean, are planning TO
20 with him.
staff Sgt. Estermyer was en-
ployed at the Willow Run Bomber
Plant prisr to his induction into
the A.A.F. He is former student
of .Ypsilanti High School.
Sgt Robert l.. wales, whose par
ents, Mr.. and Mrs. o. X. wales, re-
side at Gil w. Forest Ave, has re
turned from service outside the con
tinental United States and is now
being processed through the Army
Ground and Service Forces Reds
tribution Station in Miami Beach
where his next assignment will be
determined. Sergeant wales served
SO months as a section chief with
his antiaircraft unit in the Pacific
theater of operations. While there
he was awarded the Asiatic.Pacific
theater ribbon with three battle
stars, the American Defense Media
and the Good Conduct ribbon.
Before entering the service Serg
cant Wales was employed by thu
Ford Motor Company. He became
a member OF the Armed Forces on
April 4, 1871.