[Robert Wade oral history interview]

Fighter ace Robert Wade discusses his military service with the United States Marine Corps during World War II. He describes his wartime experiences as a fighter pilot, including his time in the Pacific Theater with Marine Fighting Squadron 323 (VMF-323). He also touches briefly on his service during the Korean War. Topics discussed include his service and training history, his participation in the Okinawa Campaign, and notable combat missions.

Robert Wade was born on October 31, 1923 in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. After the Pearl Harbor attack, he tried to join the U.S. Army Air Forces but could not pass the physical due to astigmatism in his right eye. He then applied to the U.S. Navy, which did not deem his eye issue to be disqualifying, and was accepted for flight training in July 1942. Wade received his Marine Corps commission in October 1943 and initially served as a station pilot in Edenton, North Carolina. He next reported to Marine Corps Air Station El Toro (California) for replacement pilot training, checking out in the Vought F4U Corsair. Wade deployed to the Pacific Theater in the spring of 1945 and served with Marine Fighting Squadron 323 (VMF-323) during the Okinawa Campaign. He remained in the military after World War II and went on to serve with Marine Fighter Squadron 311 (VMF-311) and the 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron during the Korean War. He retired in 1964 as a lieutenant colonel and afterwards worked for the McDonnell Douglas Company. Wade passed away in 1991.