Imperial Valley Press

Major Robert E. Thacker of El Centro, heroic member of the world famous 19th Bomb Group, is one of the shining lights in America's most honored unit of fighting airmen which Saturday was broken up for a new war assignment.

He recently advanced from Captain to major and is ready to participate in the new duties given him by his government. His decorations now include the Distinguished Flying Cross, two silver stars, and the Oak Leaf Cluster.

This famous El Centran, son of Mr. and Mrs Percie Thacker participated in impressive ceremonies at Pyote, Texas, Saturday when Major Gen. Robert Olds and his aides presented the 19th's men with an inch-long blue cloth bar encrusted with gold laurel leaf. This bar was a token for the four unit citations the 19th has achieved in a year of fierce battling with the Japanese in the Philippines, Java, Australia, Milne Bay, New Britain, and the Solomons.

Gen Olds welcomed the men, including Major Thacker, into the 2nd air force where they will be instructors for newer men training to bomb the enemy. The general pinned four silk streamers to the 19th's blue flag, each streamer denoting a phase of the unit's fight against Japan from the day war began. Each man in the unit was declared a hero.

Major Thacker entered the army air corps in October 1939 and has advanced to a higher rank once each year since then. He attended grade school, high school and junior college in El Centro.