More detail on this person: Retired Colonel Robert F. Warren December 10, 1923 - February 9, 2021 Palmetto, Florida - Retired Colonel Robert F. Warren (Bob), age 97, passed away quietly in his sleep on February 9, 2021. Bob was born in Coloma, MI on December 10,1923 to Thomas and Ruth (Edinborough) Warren. Bob was married to his childhood sweetheart, Mildred (Millie) Weber Warren for 66 years. Bob attended Michigan State University until the outbreak of WWII. He served as a Marine Corps night fighter pilot in the Pacific Theater. He continued his service in the Marine Corps as a pioneer in helicopters in Korea and served on IIIMAF in Vietnam. He later commanded a jet squadron and an air group. During his military career (1942-1969), he received six Distinguished Flying Crosses. He was inducted into the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame in 2011. Bob is preceded in death by his first wife Millie Warren, Clara Scott Warren, brother William Dean Warren, sister Helen and Gene McKean, and son-in-law Conrad Metz. He is survived by his wife Rosemarie Wagner Warren; children, William Dean Warren (Jan) and Jeanne Kay Warren Metz; 7 Grandchildren; and 11 Great Grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, February 12, 2021 at Groover Funeral Home at Mansion Memorial Park in Ellenton, FL Interment with full military honors will take place at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations me made to the Marine Corps League, 5225 26th Street West, Bradenton, FL. 34207 Published in Bradenton Herald on Feb. 14, 2021. COLONEL ROBERT F. WARREN U.S MARINE CORPS (Retired) CLASS OF 1941 INDUCTED 1997 Bob Warren graduated from Covert High School in 1941. While attending Michigan State University, World War II started, and in 1942 he joined the Navy's aviation cadet program. This led to his serving his country in three wars with dignity, honor, and valor, and to become known to many as one of the most famous of the United States Marine pilots. His career spanned the most dramatic growth of aviation from the open cockpit of bi-planes to modern helicopters and jets. Bob received his Navy wings and U.S. Marine Corp commission while still 19 years of age. He was in charge of a four plane, sixteen, man detachment from the Island of Guam. Upon return to the States, Bob received a regular commission in the Marine Corp at Quantico, Virginia, then was assigned to Cherry Point, North Carolina. He was deployed to Korea in September 1951. As a result of many behind the lines rescuer missions, Bob received his third Distinguished Flying Cross. Following his return to the United States, Bob was promoted to Captain, and ordered to California to teach mountain flying to new helicopter pilots. Later Bob was sent to Laos, as a helicopter advisor to the US Ambassador to Laos. The duties he performed there remain classified, but his rank was now Major, and was soon selected for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. Colonel Bob was ordered to Vietnam for 13 months with the 3rd Marine Amphibian Force, where he received the Legion of Merit with Combat "V", for his heroic service. After almost 30 years of service Bob retired, at the age of 46, in 1969, with over 8,000 flying hours about equally divided between fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Bob is married to Mildred 'Millie" Weber Warren, Covert High School Class of 1941. From an interview with him- I was in Vietnam from June 1967 to June 1968. I spent the whole tour working with the Vietnamese people, and what a great time I had. I was stationed at Danang, which was the headquarters of the 3rd Marine Amphibious Force. They gave me combat essential priority for the Vietnamese people (thatâÇÖs how serious we were about trying to help them) and I was involved in intelligence. IâÇÖd get the briefings, find out what the combat operations were going to be, and IâÇÖd fly with Air America (the CIA airline).
Burial information: Mansion Memorial Park, Ellenton, FL
This information was last updated 02/22/2021
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Date posted on this site: 07/12/2025
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