It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of Robert Bruce Porter last week in Fresno. Bruce was a very close personal friend of mine and helped me through the early years in the aviation art business. His sense of humor and wit, sly grin and never quit attitude will be with me and those who knew him always. Bruce was in ill health for the past few years with various stokes and dementia, but he remained a marine until the end. He was 88 years young.
Bruce flew the bird cage Corsair in the Guadalcanal campaign and the F6F5-N Hellcat based in Yontan airfield in Okinawa. He also chided MOH recipient Jim Swett tirelessly over losing his plane Jim borrowed and lost when Swett was shot down. Jim used to tell Bruce that "it's still where I have left it if you would like to go down and pick it up"!
Now both are gone, and I can proudly state that it was a pure honor to spend many hours with them after air shows just taking in the moments.
For those interested please read his book, "Ace! : A Marine Night-Fighter Pilot in World War II" by Eric Hammel. Recommended.
Semper Fi Mr Porter.
Blue skies and smooth air.
The obituary is below:
Born on August 18, 1920 in Salina, Utah, R. Bruce Porter went to be with our Lord on Monday, April 20, 2009 in Fresno. He was 88.
While attending the University of Southern California in 1940, Porter enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and was an aviation cadet that same year. He took his flight training at NAS Pensicola, Fl., graduating from Opalocka, Fl. He became a naval aviator in 1941, and was commissioned a 2nd Lt. at the same time. Initially assigned to VMF 121, he transferred to VMF 111 and left for Samoa in 1942, and then to Guadalcanal in 1943. He was promoted to Captain and returned to VMF 121, flying the new Corsair F40-1. Porter was credited with three zeros and four probables.
After returning to the States, Porter became a fighter instructor at the Marine base in El Toro. Promoted to Major, he was moved to Cherry Point, NC to help form the VMF(N) 544. After becoming an EX Officer he returned to the west coast and was assigned to the USS Block Island Carrier as an EX Officer of the VMF (N) 511, the first of all marine carrier squadron. He transferred to VMF(N) 533 as EX Officer flying to Okinawa in 1945, where he was reassigned as Commanding Officer of the VMF(N) 542.
Porter had a rare double night kill which included a baka bomb attached to a Betty Bomber. Becoming an ace, he is one of the only marine pilots to gain two or more kills in both the Corsair and the Hellcat.
Porter was nominated for the Navy Cross, two Order of the Flying Cross, one with Combat C4 Air Medals and two President Unit Citations. Remaining in the USMCR he was placed in the retired reserves with the rank of Colonel in 1962. He also retired from ARCO in 1975.
Porter's first wife, Patricia passed away in 1992.
His survivors include Donna, his wife of 17 years; a daughter, Wendy Magill; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
A Memorial Service will be held in the clubhouse of San Joaquin Village, 336 E. Alluvial in Fresno, on Saturday, May 16, 2009, at 11:30 a.m. NEPTUNE SOCIETY OF CENTRAL CALIFORNIA 1154 West Shaw Avenue Fresno, Ca. (559)222-7764
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