Liberty Wing honors deceased pilot

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman David Dobrydney
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  On a gray and somber afternoon, a lone F-15 sat outside Hangar 7. On the jet's nose was the name of its pilot, Capt. Samuel "Keyser" Robertson.

Inside the hangar, more than 100 fellow Airmen and family members gathered July 13 to remember Captain Robertson, who passed away suddenly July 7.

Col. John Quintas, 48th Fighter Wing commander, who paused the base's Operational Readiness Exercise to allow more people to attend the memorial service, made the opening speech.

"The strength of our Air Force has always been the quality of our people," Colonel Quintas said. "This was Captain Robertson, the ultimate wingman in the air and on the ground."

To those of the 493rd Fighter Squadron, he was a brother, said 493rd FS Commander Lt. Col. Skip Pribyl. "He's now where the skies are always blue," said Colonel Pribyl.

Following Colonel Pribyl's eulogy, Captain Robertson was posthumously awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal for his service to the 493rd FS. Then Captain Robertson's fellow pilots had the opportunity to speak their thoughts on Captain Robertson and his legacy.

"He was a fighter pilot, bottom line; he always tried to get everything he could out of every sortie," said Capt. Scott Snider. "He set a standard that will be extremely hard to follow. He'll be remembered as long as there is a 493rd Fighter Squadron."

Capt. Jordan LeVine spoke of Captain Robertson's devotion to his family. "During TDYs, he did whatever it took to stay in touch [with his family]," said Captain LeVine, while Capt. Jeffrey Virost lightened the mood just a bit with a humorous story about "Keyser" attempting to secure lodging during an assignment to Spain speaking high school Spanish. "Samuel always made me laugh," said Captain Virost.

Finally, Captain Robertson's widow and parents spoke to the gathering. They thanked the 48th Fighter Wing for all their help and assistance following the captain's death.
"Anything we asked for, we had," said Captain Robertson's father, Bruce. "Words can never say how much we appreciate it," added his mother, Carol.

When the eulogies were finished, a bugler began playing Taps in front of Captain Robertson's jet. All the military members in attendance saluted smartly as a "missing man" formation roared overhead.

The attendees were then able to pay their own final respects to Captain Robertson, before exiting to continue the mission Captain Robertson spent his brief but memorable career accomplishing.