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Out of the blue
Boise author miraculously survived crash during World
War II
By Mike Butts
The Idaho Statesman
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| Photos
courtesy of F. Willard Robinson |
F. Willard Robinson
stands beside a restored TBM Avenger torpedo bomber in
1995.
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F. Willard Robinson as
a Naval aviator graduate in 1942 in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Above: A World War II squadron in the
air.
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F. Willard Robinson should be dead.
He should have been blown to pieces 57 years ago off the Marshall
Islands in the Central Pacific. He should have died in his torpedo
bomber aircraft, drowned instead of inflating his "Mae West" life
vest or been chewed up by USS Caldwell propellers.
The 82-year-old Boise man never should have gone on to have a
29-year career in education, never should have written "Navy Wings
of Gold," the tale of his and seven comrades' incredible World War
II stories.
But he did. He did survive a fatal plane crash. He did have the
long career, and he did write the book.
And none of the stories from "Navy Wings of Gold" are half as
incredible as Lieutenant F. Willard "Robbie" Robinson's tale of
inexplicable survival in the Central Pacific.
Robinson will sign his books at 2 p.m. today at Borders Books on
North Milwaukee.
"I didn't do too much," Robinson says in a vast understatement.
He just flew missions in World War II's epic Pacific air battles as
the Allies island-hopped toward the crucial taking of the
Philippines. "I had a lot of experiences. I think my greatest thing
I did was survive."
In late January of 1944, Robinson, radioman George Driesback Jr.
and gunner Harold Eckert catapulted off the USS Manila Bay on a
search mission during the invasion of the Japanese-held Marshall
Islands. After a mostly routine flight, Robinson piloted his TBM-3E
Avenger torpedo bomber back to the Manila Bay.
Overtaxed with four 500-pound depth charges and a full load of
rockets, the plane went out of control on its approach.
Robinson and his crew, sitting on top of enough explosives to
sink a destroyer, veered into the ocean at high speed.
The crash and explosions killed Driesback and Eckert instantly.
Robinson was blown from the aircraft.
"I saw the plane explode four times," Robinson says. "The guys on
the destroyer later told me they thought they had taken a torpedo
(the explosions were so strong)."
Caldwell crew members tossed Robinson a life preserver and he
hugged it with both arms as the suction from the ship's propellers
nearly pulled him to his death. The lieutenant's left foot was
almost torn off, he had shrapnel at the base of his spine and
countless lacerations and blast injuries, but amazingly, no broken
bones.
The Navy, Robinson says, submitted his story to "Ripley's Believe
it or Not!"
"First of all, you don't survive when you dive a plane in at 100
miles per hour," says Robinson, a California native who moved to
Boise four years ago. "And second, you don't survive on top of a ton
of explosives."
Unless you're Robbie Robinson. It was months before Robinson
could walk and years before he completely recovered from his wounds,
both mental and physical. He still mourns the death of his crew.
Robinson was 24 at the time of the crash, his crew members 19 and
22.
"For two or three years there was never a night that went by that
that whole scene wasn't there and woke me up in a cold sweat,"
Robinson says. "I suppose honestly I could say it created a lot of
problems for me. But I was able to put it down."
And able to lead a long life as an educator, husband and father.
Robinson has also written a book about his 17 years as principal of
Beverly Hills High School.
The story of Robinson's crash takes up only part of one chapter
in "Navy Wings of Gold." The book also chronicles Robinson's
training as a pilot, his involvement in the development of air to
ground missiles, the World War II stories of seven other men he met
in the Navy and a chapter by Joan, Robinson's wife of 58 years.
Robinson returned to service in the war after his accident. But
he spent the fall of 1944 in the United States rehabilitating from
his injuries.
He still has mixed feelings about missing the historic retaking
of the Philippine Islands.
"I am human enough to have wanted to be a legitimate war hero,"
Robinson writes in "Navy Wings of Gold." "But realistic enough to
give thanks that I wasn't going to be a dead hero."
To offer story ideas or comments, contact reporter
Mike Butts at 377-6429 or mbutts@boise.gannett.com
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Saturday, May 26, 2001 
