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Cpt. Laurence F. Rorer
723rd Squadron
LAURENCE FRANK “MICKEY” RORER
1917-1997
MILITARY SERVICE

Mickey Rorer

Company E, 8th Infantry, 1941-1942

February, 1941: drafted into the Army
March, 1941: Co. E, 8th Infantry, Fort Benning
July, 1941: Completed course on engine and chassis mechanics with score of 96
Rank: S/Sgt Motor Pool

April, 1942: accepted into the first class of aviation cadets who were not required to be college graduates;
spent next six months “unassigned” as Technician 4th grade (temporary) at Camp Gordon waiting for the start of the aviation class
October, 1942: Preflight School at Santa Ana Army Air Base, California

Preflight School curriculum and examinations

Mickey Rorer

Mickey Rorer

Mickey Rorer

Mickey Rorer

Mickey Rorer

Mickey Rorer

Mickey Rorer

Next level: Primary School at Cal Aero Flight Academy, Ontario, California

Mickey Rorer

Daily schedule at Primary School, Cal Aero Flight Academy, Ontario, California

Next level: Basic School at Polaris Academy, Lancaster California

Mickey Rorer

Next level: April, 1943: Advanced School, fighter planes, Luke Field, Phoenix, Arizona

Mickey Rorer

Mickey earns his wings

June, 1943: 2nd Lieutenant; assigned to Randolph Field, San Antonio, Texas; trained to be a flight instructor
August, 1943: assigned to Gardner Field, California as flight instructor.
March, 1944: volunteered to learn to fly a “new plane” which turned out to be the B-29
Arrived Smyrna, Tennessee; B-29 was not ready. Was not reassigned to fly fighters, for which he trained, or to return to job as flight instructor; was assigned to fly B-24's.
Sorely disappointed; did not expend any effort in B-24 training.
August, 1944: flew from Mitchell Field to Dow Field to Manduria, Italy as a co-pilot

This crew flew from the US to Manduria:

James W. Buck, Laurence F. Rorer, Marshall M. Barton, Seymour Denbaum

Mickey Rorer

Norman E. Griffin, Sterling H. Miller, Edward J. Carter, UrpoTikkanen, Bernard Mazer, William Polakoff

Mickey Rorer

James Buck, Seymour Denbaum, “Mickey” Rorer, Marshall Barton

September, 1944: flew first mission over Ora Railroad Bridge, Italy, as co-pilot
October, 1944: flew second mission; pilot let him take controls and immediately recommended he be made pilot
January, 1945: promoted to 1st Lieutenant
Pilot of PENNY

Mickey Rorer

Mickey on flak leave on the Italian coast

Mickey Rorer

Lts. Rorer, Seymour Denbaum, James W. Buck and Marshall M. Barton outside their quarters

Mickey Rorer

The officers hired an Italian man to construct block walls for their quarters

Mickey Rorer

Molto Buono, Saturday, March 24, 1945

Mickey Rorer

Bomb Blast, March 25, 1945
This story also appeared in the Stars and Stripes, March 24, 1945, the Trenton Times and The Sortie, Vol. XI

Mickey Rorer

Surveying the damage
Bomb bay door wrapped around horizontal stabilizer

Mickey Rorer

Crew of the damaged plane
Left to Right:
S/Sgt. Charles Ernest – Gunner
S/Sgt. Miles Stephenson – Gunner
S/Sgt. Sidney Spyer – Gunner
Lt. John Bigbee – Co-Pilot
T/Sgt. Stanley Duch – Engineer
Lt. Robert Goodoak – Bombardier
Lt. John McWilliams – Navigator
Lt. Mickey Rorer – Pilot
S/Sgt. Rad Daniels – Gunner
S/Sgt. Able Silver – Radio Operator

Mickey Rorer

Miles Stephenson surveys the damage

Mickey Rorer

Mickey Rorer in middle

Mickey Rorer

Mickey Rorer, Stanley Duch and John Bigbee

Mickey Rorer



Mickey Rorer



Mickey Rorer

Mickey

Mickey Rorer

723rd Squad Logo

Mickey Rorer

Upper right: Ambrose “Mouse” Maushart;
Bottom: Mickey Rorer

Mickey Rorer

Quarters in Manduria; Mickey on left

March, 1945: appointed Flight Commander and temporary Operations Officer until new Operations Officer could be trained; awarded Distinguished Flying Cross

Mickey Rorer

Receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross

Mickey Rorer

Mickey Rorer

Awarded Distinguished Flying Cross for a combination of acts including getting the squadron reorganized in order to complete their mission after the lead plane was shot down over Florisdorf Marshalling Yards, Vienna.

April, 1945: promoted to Captain

Active duty pilots had to pass this exam

Mickey Rorer

Mickey Rorer

Mickey Rorer

Mickey Rorer

Mickey Rorer

Check ride before returning to the States

Record of missions flown

Mickey Rorer

Mickey Rorer

Mickey Rorer

The war in Europe was over but the war with Japan continued.
This was Mickey's qualifications used to determine his next assignment in the fight with Japan.

June, 1945: returned to U.S. after flying fifty-six missions; assigned to Minter Field, California to fly B-29's in invasion of Japan
August, 1945: Japan surrendered
January, 1946: honorably discharged at Roswell AAB, New Mexico

Mickey Rorer

Awards earned in the Air Corps

Mickey Rorer

Summary of Mickey's Air Corps service

Mickey Rorer



Link To Target Pictures

Pictures of Italy

Information courtesy of Louise Rorer Rosett, daughter of Mickey Rorer
 




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