Finding marine aviator history

[yellowkid]

I learn much here but do not post much since my knowledge trails this boards so significantly! But hoping you guys can help me with something I've wondered about since I was a kid. I'm trying to find out about a long lost "uncle" who was in fact my fathers best friend when was young. My father served as a naval aviator flying TBM's in an anti sub unit - something called "air devron one". Out of Pensacola I believe. (he was always very particular that it was a TBM not a TBF - he always corrected me). His close friend who came for holidays (which is what made me think of it today) and we all called "uncle" was a classic fighter jock, at least in my pre-teen eyes. All I know is that he served in the marines, first in the pacific flying corsairs then later in Korea. My earliest recollection is that he was still serving in the reserves in the early sixties - I recall visiting him on a base I think in long island with my dad and sitting in the cockpit of his fury. of course I always asked him how many zeros he shot down and he would gently tell me his job was looking out for the guys on the ground not chasing zeros. my father would then say tho that " you know he flew with Pappy boyington!". To which he'd respond that he wasn't a flying tiger and he was not one of the black sheep. Back then in the sixties veterans were coy about their service and really didn't share their stories except amongst themselves so I always wondered what he really did, where he served etc. To this ten year old kid that marine aviator was the embodiment of "the right stuff" and I know my father held him in the highest esteem. both are long gone but I would love to finally know his story. Is there a simple way?

[Forgotten Field]

Sign up for the free Ancestry.com membership. Go to military searches, and type in his name. The USN and USMC muster rolls are on the site, and you should be able to find his name on one of those. They were done a few times during the war so you will know it was him by his unit assignment. Be prepared to go through hundreds of pages to find him if he has a common name.

[Mark Allen M]

Give us as much information as you can (and feel comfortable posting publicly) and many of us will do the rest. You'll be surprised just how much information there is out there in cyberspace. I don't believe you can PM yet as your new to posting.

M

[yellowkid]

His name was Robert Popkin or "uncle bob" to me. Unfortunately I don't know much more than that but will ask my siblings if they recall more since they were older. But I do remember the hair-raising rides he took us on in his MG - a 50's TC if I recall in hindsight. British racing green. Cliche I know but must be true that fighter jocks like going fast! Made my parents a bit nervous. Appreciate the replies!

[Forgotten Field]

There is a Robert E Popken, with an "e" instead of your "i" listed in VMF 314 as the Assistant Communications Officer in July 1944. They did mis-spell names in WWII. Might be him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMFA-314

[shepsair]

Name: Robert E Popken
Service Info.: LTC US MARINE CORPS WORLD WAR II, KOREA, VIETNAM
Birth Date: 19 Jan 1923
Death Date: 20 Nov 1983
Service Start Date: 15 Dec 1942
Interment Date: 25 Nov 1983
Cemetery: Ft. Logan National Cemetery
Cemetery Address: 4400 West Kenyon Avenue Denver, CO 80236
Buried At: Section T Site 1830

[Pathfinder]

LOOK Magazine - October 26, 1948

Cover : Star Nanette Fabray in fabulous black lace evening gown.

Story inside:

- LOOK asks Marine flyers about war with Russia, Lonsdale F. Stowell, F. W. Stuhlman, Robert Popken, William Albers, Arthur R. Parker and Waldemar Maya.

Edit: SSDI shows the Robert Popken referenced above (1923-1983) as having a SSN issued in New Jersey. It is very likely that this link shows your subject Robert E. Popken as resident in West Orange, New Jersey, in the Class of 1939. (photo) Page 67 of 210.

http://www.digifind-it.com/westorange/DATA/1939.pdf

Edit: Accident-Reports.com has an undated incident for a USN/USMC aircraft accident cross referenced to ROBERT EDGAR POPKEN.

EDIT: The family appears in the 1930 Census in West Orange under the name Charles F. Popk(I)n.
Mother's name: Emma L.
The Charles F(Jr) in the yearbook is Robert's older brother. They had a younger sister named Janet L.

Charles F. (Jr.) was a 1Lt in the AAF and was POW at Stalag Luft 1. Died 2/10/90 and buried at Houston National Cemetery, Harris County, Texas.

There is a mission report at Fold3 from 29JUN45 detailing Lt. Popken's (VMF-314) aircraft malfunction.

Charles Popken was navigator on B-24H 42-52146 of 449BG 716BS (Pistol Packin' Mama)
Nose art: http://449th.org/aircraftinfo.php?serial=42-52146

[Mark Allen M]

AAIR has a listing for a Robert E Popken ground looping a Corsair in October 1943 NAS Green Cove Springs.

http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/USN/FG.htm

[yellowkid]

Gentlemen thank you very much- this is fantastic. Spelling was my bad - I did check and it was Popken with an e. West orange sounds right too he lived a short drive from us in ridgewood nj ( my mom who grew up in ridgewood used to talk about Tommy McGuire a local boy she knew in passing!). Had no idea about his brother or his Vietnam service. I do remember he was one of those that found his place in the service and never seemed comfortable in civilian life. And the corsair was his aircraft - that much I remember from his stories! When the Great Santini came out we all said that could have been him but he was a bit kinder to us kids.