Major Robert F. McMahon
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) and U.S. Air Force (USAF)

Background
Robert F. McMahon was born on September 10, 1920 in Mitchell, South Dakota. Nicknamed "Bob". He graduated high school and attended two years of college and worked as an actor.

Wartime History
On February 8, 1941 enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota as an aviation cadet with serial number 17018954. He attended flight school and earned his wings. Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with serial number O-427435. On June 20, 1941 became part of the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF).

Assigned to the 35th Pursuit Group (35th PG) attached to the 24th Pursuit Group (24th PG), 21st Pursuit Squadron (21st PS) at Hamilton Field. By the end of October 1941, he had logged seven hours flying the P-40 Warhawk. During November 1941 logged another six hours in the P-40 before scheduled to depart overseas.

On November 20, 1941 departs overseas

Sent overseas to Australia. Assigned to the Far East Air Force (FEAF), 33d Pursuit Squadron (Provisional) as a fighter pilot.

On February 19, 1942 took off piloting a P-40E Warhawk to intercept the Japanese air raid over Darwin. For his actions, he earned the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC).

Afterwards, assigned to the 39th Fighter Squadron (39th FS).

On June 9, 1942 took off on a mission and claimed a Zero over Morobe, his first aerial victory credit.

On December 26, 1944 took off from Florennes Airfield (USAAF Site A-78) piloting P-38J 42-104086 armed with bombs on a armed recon mission and was shot down and captured and became a Prisoner Of War (POW) detained at Stalag III-B Furstenberg Brandenburg, Prussia in Germany until the surrender of Germany.

Postwar
McMahon remained in the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and served in the Korean War.

Memorials
McMahon died March 24, 2016 at age 95. He is buried at Black Hills National Cemetery at section K site 153.

Aerial victory claims
Robert F. McMahon was officially credited with one aerial victory during World War II.

Victory	Date	Location	Aircraft	Notes on claim
1	06/09/42	Morobe	Zero	First aerial victory credit.

References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Robert F. Mc Mahon
Hall of Valor - Robert F. McMahon (DSC citation)
USAF Historical Study No. 85 USAF Credits For The Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II Alphabetical: McMahon page 130 (PDF page 137)
NARA - World War II Prisoners of War Data File - Robert F. Mc Mahon
[Robert F. McMahon oral history interview] (circa 1960s). Museum of Flight Digital Collections
American Fighter Aces Association, [Robert F. McMahon oral history interview (Part 6 of 9)], [2002-02-13-1139_AV_127]. Museum of Flight Digital Collections includes description of December 26, 1944 mission, shoot down and capture
McMahon memoir
USAAF (Pacific Theater) Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft in Air-To-Air Combat World War 2. Victory List No. 3 page 8 (June 9, 1942)
McMahon memoir
Every Day A Nightmare (2010) by William H. Bartsch pages 21 (21st PS, Plum assignment), 23 (Republic voyage), 24, 34, 38-39, 42, 43, 44, 45-46 (training program), 67-68, 111, 114-115, 153, 171, 173-174, 175, 183-186, 187-188, 190, 191, 205-209, 224-227, 230-234, 232-233, 231, 233-234, 249, 252, 254, 255, 341 (assigned to 35th PG), 402 (footnote 56), 402 (footnote 59), 405 (footnote 2), 410 (footnote 8), 410 (footnote 5), 410-411 (footnote 10), 485-486 (index McMahon)

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