Robert Leroy Valeski

Robert Leroy Valeski left this earth suddenly, for his final flight, on February 19th. Born on July 20th, 1928, in Randolph, New York, Robert (Bob) Valeski fulfilled the first steps toward his passion for aviation when he received his pilot’s and driver’s licenses on the same day, at the age of 16. By the age of 17, after graduation from high school, Bob had secured a job as a ferry pilot for Piper Aircraft Corporation, based in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, and delivered new aircraft to customers and dealerships throughout the Continental United States. By 1946, Bob had enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces, later becoming the Air Force. His goal was to utilize the G.I. Bill to pay for college. He was trained as a crew chief for a squadron of P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft based at Johnson AFB, in Imagawa, Japan. After his tour of duty and Honorable Discharge, Bob was assigned to the Air Force Reserves. By 1950, he was recalled to active duty as the Korean War began to escalate but was retrained as a Flight Engineer. He was assigned to the 509th Bomb Wing at Roswell Army Air Base, New Mexico and it was the only organization in the entire world to have experience with nuclear weapons. It was regarded as the core of the Strategic Air Command, the powerful nuclear bomber force that evolved during the 1950’s and 1960’s. Bob flew numerous missions on the B-29 Superfortress Bomber and was awarded the Combat Air Medal for his service during the Korean War. Next assignments included Biggs Army Airfield, El Paso, Texas, Forbes Air Force Base, Topeka, Kansas and Ernest Harmon Air Force Base, Stephenville, Newfoundland where Bob flew as Flight Engineer on the KC-97 Strat freighter air refueling tanker. In December 1965, Bob arrived at Dover Air Force Base. First to transition to the C-141 Star Lifter cargo jet and ultimately to its successor, the C-5A Galaxy. Bob was a proud member of the crew selected to deliver the first C-5 to Dover Air Force Base in April 1971. Both the C-141 and C-5 were workhorses during the Vietnam Conflict, so Bob’s crew assignments took him around the globe to support the United States' mission in the middle east. Magnolia, Delaware became a real home base in 1978 when Bob retired from the Air Force as Chief of Standardization for the C-5 Wing. Post retirement, he worked as an instructor at Flight Safety International based at Wilmington Airport, New Castle, Delaware, where he taught aircraft systems to corporate jet pilots. Bob was honored to be among the dignitaries invited back to Dover Air Force Base in February 2009 to welcome the first of the revitalized and upgraded C-5M Super Galaxies that would extend the aircraft’s mission at Dover for decades to come. He was quoted in a Delaware State News article, reporting on the event, about the sound of the C-5 overhead: “That’s the sound of freedom. It lets me know there are people working to protect me and the rest of the country.” Many years into retirement, Bob worked as delivery driver for Meals on Wheels, based out of the Modern Maturity Center in Dover, where he served many homebound members of the Kent County region. He was honored by the Delaware Legislature on his 95th birthday. Bob was predeceased by his wife and partner for 66 years, Phyllis. He is survived by one sister, Gloria Stone, Oswego, NY, as well as five sons: Victor (Cindy), Mullica Hill, NJ, Scott (Angie), Magnolia, DE, David (Julie Abbott), Georgetown, DE, Brian (Lisa), Camden, DE and Tim (Kelly Pettyjohn), Lewes, DE. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. An internment service, with military honors, will be scheduled at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Millsboro, DE.

Robert Leroy Valeski

July 20, 1928 - February 19, 2025