Jay Thorpe Robbins
Lieutenant General, U.S. Air Force

Jay Thorpe Robbins was born on 16 September 1919 in Coolidge, TX, the son of Jacob Isaiah and Mary Douglas Thorpe Robbins.

Robbins graduated from Coolidge High School in 1936. In 1940, he received a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M University and a was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps through the Reserve Officers Training Corps.

He entered active duty with the Army Air Corps in July 1941 at Randolph Field, TX, and began flight training at Corsicana, Randolph and Victoria, TX. In July 1942, he received his pilot wings and began training in fighter-type aircraft as a member of the 55th Fighter Squadron, 20th Pursuit Group, Morris Field, NC, and at Drew Field, FL.

In September 1942, Robbins was assigned to the 80th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group of the Fifth Air Force in the Southwest Pacific area. He became Commander of the Squadron in January 1944 and in September became Deputy Commander of the 8th Fighter Group. 1LT Robbins flew 607 hours on 181 combat missions in P-39 and P-38 aircraft and scored 22 aerial victories, all of which were Japanese fighter-type aircraft, thereby becoming a quadruple Ace. His was the fourth-highest total of enemy aircraft destroyed in aerial combat by an Army Air Corps pilot in the Pacific Theater of Operations. He twice destroyed four enemy fighters during single missions and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for each of these battles.

From February to November 1945, Robbins was assigned as Commander of the 434th Army Air Forces Base Unit at Santa Rosa Field, CA. He next served as Squadron Operations Officer with the 412th Fighter Group (later re-designated 1st Fighter Group), at March Field, CA, the first organization in the Air Force to be equipped with F-80 Jet fighter aircraft, and later held several operational staff positions.

Robbins was assigned to Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Langley Air Force Base, VA, in June 1947 where he held key staff positions in Plans and Operations. In 1949 he served in operational posts in Headquarters Twelfth Air Force, Brooks Air Force Base, TX. He attended the Air Command and Staff School at Maxwell Air Force Base, AL, in early 1950 and, after graduation in June, returned to Twelfth Air Force.

In August 1950 he was assigned as Assistant Chief, Tactical Air Operations Branch, Headquarters Continental Air Command, Mitchel Air Force Base, NY, and in January 1951, joined the operational staff of the newly established Air Defense Command at Ent Air Force Base, CO. From June 1953 to September 1955, Robbins served as Plans and Programs Officer of the War Plans Division, Directorate of Plans, at Headquarters U.S. Air Force in Washington, DC. He then became a member of the Joint Strategic Plans Group of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. While in this position, he represented the Joint Chiefs of Staff on a special continental defense subcommittee of the National Security Council.

Robbins was Deputy Commander and later Commander, of the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing in England during the period July 1957 to August 1961. In 1960, he led the U.S. Air Force European Gunnery Champions to the "William Tell" weaponry meet in Nevada, flying F-100 Supersabre aircraft across the Atlantic to participate.

In July 1962 he graduated from the National War College in Washington, DC, and then was named Director of Flight Safety. In January 1963, he became the Director of Aerospace Safety at Norton Air Force Base, CA. During his tenure as Director of Aerospace Safety, the U.S. Air Force established two consecutive record years in low worldwide aircraft accident rates.

Robbins became Commander of the 313th Air Division in July 1965. He was assigned to the position of Chief of Staff, Pacific Air Forces in March 1967, with headquarters at Hickam Air Force Base, HI.

From July 1968 to February 1970, Robbins was Commander, Twelfth Air Force, with headquarters at Bergstrom Air Force Base, TX. In February 1970, he was named Vice Commander, Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base, VA, where he remained until August 1972 when he was appointed as Vice Commander of Military Airlift Command.

Lieutenant General Robbins retired from active duty on 1 September 1974.

Flight Data

Robbins was a jet-qualified Command Pilot with nearly 5,000 flying hours, most of which was in fighter aircraft.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Silver Star Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Legion of Merit with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Distinguished Flying Cross with 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Medal with Silver and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
Presidential Unit Citation
American Defense Service Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 3 Bronze Stars
World War II Victory Medal
National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star
Vietnam Service Medal
Air Force Longevity Service Award with Silver and 3 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Command Pilot Badge
Headquarters Air Force Badge

Distinguished Service Cross Citation Synopsis (1st of 2 Awards)

First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Jay Thorpe Robbins (ASN: 0-405112), United States Army Air Forces, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-38 Fighter Airplane in the 80th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, FIFTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 4 September 1943. On this date First Lieutenant Robbins shot down four enemy aircraft in a single mission. First Lieutenant Robbins' unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 5th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.

General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Army Forces in the Far East, General Orders No. 82 (1943)

Distinguished Service Cross Citation Synopsis (2nd of 2 Awards)

First Lieutenant (Air Corps) Jay Thorpe Robbins (ASN: 0-405112), United States Army Air Forces, was awarded a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-38 Fighter Airplane in the 80th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Group, FIFTH Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 24 October 1943. On this date, for the second time in less than two month, First Lieutenant Robbins shot down four enemy aircraft in a single mission. First Lieutenant Robbins' unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 5th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.

General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Army Forces in the Far East, General Orders No. 69 (1944)

Congressional Gold Medal

The Congressional Gold Medal, created by the U.S. Mint, is the highest civilian honor Congress can give on behalf of the American people. On 20 May 2015, leaders from the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate presented the Congressional Gold Medal to the American Fighter Aces Association at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center Emancipation Hall.

More than 60,000 American fighter pilots engaged in aerial combat during World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Of those pilots, only 1,447 earned the title of fighter “Ace” by downing at least five enemy aircraft. LTG Jay Thorpe Robbins was one of them, having downed 22 aircraft in aerial combat. At the time of the presentation of the Medal, only 75 of those Aces remained alive.

Death and Burial

Lieutenant General Jay Thorpe Robbins died on 3 March 2001 in San Antonio, TX, at age 81. He is buried at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Bexar County, TX, in Section 11A, Site 65.