He joined the United States Navy Reserve in 1943 during World War II to train as a fighter pilot, but did not serve in combat.
Upon receiving his final commission he reported for Operational Training at the Naval Air Base in DeLand Florida. In DeLand, Bob trained in the FM-2 Fighter which included formation flying, night flying, and dog-fighting. Operational training also included gunnery flights, firing live ammunition at a sleeve towed by one of the pilots in flight and field carrier landings. After his assignment in DeLand, Bob was sent to the Great Lakes Naval Air Station for carrier landing training on the USS Wolverine. He was one of those who received a grade of superior. He continued on to train at the Banana River Naval Air Station, expecting to be assigned to a carrier squadron. Instead, Bob was one of seven pilots with the sole responsibility of flying over the beautiful Atlantic and make gunnery runs on US Navy Mariner aircraft to test their crew. His final assignment was F4U Corsairs flight training in Grosse Isle, Michigan just as WWII was coming to end.
Immediately following its closure the base was transformed into the Grosse Ile Municipal Airport.
There are still some signs of the old naval air station, with the former Hangar 1 now serving as the Township Hall and offices. A museum is located in the township offices and a memorial garden dedicated to the old base and the men and women that served there is located on the old flight line ramp adjacent to Hangar 1.
The original Curtiss-Wright flying school hangar still remains and is used to house civilian aircraft and a dance studio. Even the original tin hangar floated down the Detroit River in 1927 still stands
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Barker
https://www.delandnavalairmuseum.org/newsletters/DELANDINGS%20AUGUST%202017%20FINAL%20PDF.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Air_Station_Grosse_Ile
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