Robert L. Leeker
Robert Louis Leeker was born 5-MAR 1953 in St. Louis. His parents were Bernard Kenneth Leeker (1910-2004) and Barbara Margaret Egler (1911-2006). The family lived at 2851 S. 13th Street across from the brewery in South St. Louis. Bob had two sisters: Mary Ann (1943-2010) and Susan and one brother: Kenneth (1947-2022).
Bob attended St. Agatha grade school through third grade and then moved to St. Andrew where he completed eighth grade. Bob then attended St. Mary’s Parochial High School. Bob enlisted in the Air National Guard in 1971 after graduation. Bob’s brother and brothers-in-law were all in the Air National Guard, located at Lambert Field, St. Louis MO.
Bob attended basic training at Lackland Air Force Base (AFB) in 1971 in San Antonio Texas. Basic training at Lackland was a 6-to-8 week program. Bob was asked about his most vivid memories of his early days in the Air National Guard. “I mean, you’re basically verbally abused daily in basic training. It was an adjustment. I had never been away from home, so it was interesting.” From Lackland, Bob was sent to Keesler AFB near Biloxi Mississippi for specialty training.
“I was going to be over there for six or nine months or something like that, so kind of living on my own, so that was very vivid. Keesler Air Force Base is right on the Gulf of Mexico on the beach. I had never seen white sand before. When we pulled in there, I thought it was snow. We arrived at night, I said, ‘oh, there’s snow.’ Of course, my mates didn’t think that was very funny. They knew it was sand.”
Bob’s first specialty was Electronic Navigation Systems Specialist. At Kessler, Bob received his avionics training. An Electronic Navigation Systems Specialist falls under the Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) 2A8X1 career field, known as Mobility Air Forces Integrated Communication-Navigation-Mission Systems. Airmen in AFSC 32831 are Avionics Navigation System Specialist and they maintain and repair complex avionics, including navigation, communication, and mission systems on many aircraft.
After basic training Bob came back to his unit at Lambert Airport in St. Louis. “That’s what happens with the Air National Guard, you come back after basic training to your home unit.” Bob was attached to the 131st Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) at Lambert Airport, St. Louis MO. At the 131st TFW he worked on F-100s, T-33s, and a C-47 (DC-3) or what’s affectionately and commonly called the “Goony Bird”. “I worked on the avionics on that, radios, navigation equipment, and stuff like that.”
Bob spent 5-6 years as an enlisted man in his AFSC from 1971 to about 1976 in Air National Guard.
One day, it occurred to Bob, “I started seeing all these airplanes fly, and I can’t tell you why, but all of a sudden, I said, why would I want to work on them? Wouldn’t it be better to fly them?”
Bob researched what it would take for him to be a pilot. At that time, Bob did not have any college hours, nor did he have any flight training under his belt. At that time, to become a pilot, you only needed 60 hours of college, an associate’s degree.
While serving as an Airman, Bob earned his associate’s degree at Forest Park Community College in 1974. Then, to enhance his chances of becoming a pilot candidate, he took flying lessons on his own. Bob later said, “So, I paid for my own flying lessons, my own schooling, and then applied to become a pilot in the Air National Guard out at Lambert Field.” Bob continued, “The first time, I was not selected. There is politics throughout the military. The other guy that I was competing with, his father had been a pilot in that unit, so he got the slot.”
Bob path would take him from airman to Colonel and Base Commander in Iraq and St. Louis. He piloted some of our most sophisticated fighter planes in his career. Bob ended his career as a pilot in the B-2 Stealth Bomber.
Bob says today, “I lived my dream!”
Most of Bob’s story is in his own words.
For more of Bob’s amazing story, click on the pdf below.
