Robert’s history begins in the 1860’s when his great grandfather built the first house in Colonel Baker’s field. His father was a Marine veteran in World War I. When his parents married they bought a Model-T Ford which, in one day, could travel twice as far as a horse. It carried the family from Delhi, California where Robert’s older brother Henry was born, to Ukiah, where Robert H. Bohna was born on Feb. 12, 1924. His first automobile ride was in this Model-T Ford. Soon the parents moved again. First to Woodland where sister Ethel (known as sis or Susie) was born and then to Bakersfield where Fred, the youngest brother, was born. At that time, 1930, they bought a Model-A Ford to accommodate a family of four as they continued to move up and down California.
Robert began his education in a one-room school house, often with his mother
as his teacher. Later he attended Raymond High School with a total student body of 35. He was able to get his driver’s license at age 15 to drive other students to school in his Model-A Ford.
After high sc hool graduation, he attended UC Berkeley where he played
baseball and majored in mechanical engineering. He joined the ROTC hoping to be deferred from the draft. Three months later he was in basic training in Lincoln, Neb.
Robert had no plans to become a pilot, but he was chosen to be one. His
instructor, LeGault, was a handsome lady’s man which was a far cry from Robert’s self image. Robert trained in a Sterman, and got his wings in March 1944. He went to Phoenix where he trained in a P-38, from there he was sent to Europe where he flew cover on D-Day. One of his first assignments was to escort Winston Churchill to survey the troop action.
While flying Florens, France, he crashed his P-38 in front of his company. The plane had only one tail, and holes ripped in the fuselage, but he walked away without injury. Later he was assigned to a P-51 Mustage which he called Sierra Sue, after a girl he had a crush on in high school. He had to parachute out of his plane twice during the war. After the end of the war was announced, Bob and two other pilots went for some fun, crashed, and had to parachute to safety. During his war experience he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal.
When he got out of the military he became a commercial airline pilot and flew until he was made to retire. During this time he lived in San Francisco and purchased land in Sonoma to foster another passion, cars. Sonoma Truck and Auto Center has occupied the same corner on Broadway and MacArthur since approximately 1973.
He had a great and adventurous life. He loved to dance. He and his sister use to dance to the “Hit Parade” and he has been dancing ever since.
A celebration of life will be held at the Moose Lodge on Broadway in Sonoma,
at 1 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010. If anyone would like to make contributions, it is suggested that a donation be made to the Rotary raffle ticket fund, which promotes Sonoma Valley youth programs or any charity of their choice.
His is survived by his sister, Susie Hickman, of Fresno, as well as three nieces and four nephews. A private inurnment will be held at the Sacramento Valley VA National
Cemetery at a later date. Arrangements under the direction of Duggan’s Mission Chapel and Mission Cremation Service.
November 14, 2024
The Community's Independent Voice
