A Mother’s Intuition

 

Wings of Steel, Heart of Gold

 

John G. Roberts’ interest in flying began as it might for most boys, by building hand-launched gliders and rubber-band-powered airplanes that he flew in the streets outside his childhood Santa Barbara home. That curiosity was taken a step further on hikes with his father, an avid hunter, who often daydreamed of having the ability to “hop into the air and glide over to that next ridgeline instead of having to hike it.”

 

That idea was a seed that planted itself deep in Roberts’ psyche, and began to sprout in ROTC at Santa Barbara High School, and gained strength later at the University of Colorado where his ROTC unit was sponsored by the Army Corps of Engineers. When asked by the Corps colonel what he wanted to do in the Army he really didn’t know for sure, until the Colonel informed him that an engineer unit, based in the Pacific Northwest, flew helicopters in support of surveying and mapping operations in Alaska. He later flew with that unit, the 521st Engineer Company, 30th Topo Group, over the rugged, isolated terrain of what was soon to become the 49th state of the union. He then flew in Central America with the 937th Engineer Company (Topo Avn) of the Inter American Geodetic Survey.

 

Whether he chose his destiny, or maybe it was somehow chosen for him, one thing is certain—John Roberts was meant to fly for a lifetime. In December of 1953, Roberts entered the Army as a second lieutenant in the Engineer Officer Basic Course at Fort Belvoir, VA. Between classes, Roberts haunted the base airfield bumming rides with whoever was willing to take him up. “I took flying lessons, too.” Roberts says, remembering the J-3 Cub he soloed out of nearby Alexandria Airport before being accepted by the Army Aviation School.

Not quite a year after entering the Army, Roberts already had logged an impressive number of flights in a variety of aircraft, having graduated from the Army Aviation School at Fort Sill, OK in November 1954. He thought he would spend a year flying fixed-wing aircraft, as was then required, but there wasn’t a demand. Roberts’ was almost immediately sent back to undergo primary helicopter training at Gary AFB in Texas, then advanced training at the new Army Aviation School at Fort Rucker, AL.

It was the helicopter training that introduced Roberts to the type of flying he likes to do best. “Helicopters are more challenging to maneuver, more flexible in their capabilities, you’re flying lower and you thus have a greater ability to observe and support the mission requirements on the ground,” Roberts says. It is this passion for freedom and open skies that carried him through five years in the Army, which led into another 23 years in the Army National Guard during which he earned the coveted Master Army Aviator badge, and as a Major commanded the 140th Aviation Company.

Among the myriad of missions and aircraft too numerous to count on a room full of fingers and toes, Roberts had the privilege of being General Charles Ott’s preferred pilot, a distinguished Santa Barbara man who at one time was in charge of the entire Army National Guard.

In 1969, Roberts eloped to Vegas with his ladylove Susie, and while John continued his service in the Guard out of Santa Barbara they raised two children, Beverly and Marilyn. Roberts also began to buy airplanes—one of which he co-owned, and still owns after 39 years—with John V. (Jack) Crawford, owner of San Lucas Ranch and a client of Roberts’ father. It was a partnership in a plane and the common passion for flying that fostered an enduring friendship that later transferred to Jack’s daughter Nancy Crawford-Hall, who has known John and Susie nearly all of her life.

“Years ago when a ranch manager was trying to force me off the ranch, John and Susie stepped in and helped get me through a really terrible time,” Nancy explains. “If not for them, I would not be on the ranch today. I owe them a lot, but that’s not hard since they are the kindest, most honest, wonderful people I know, and that doesn’t cover even half of what they mean to me.”

It is that kind, reliable nature that no doubt brought Roberts up through the ranks in his military career and helped make him, since 1973, a distinguished member and former Captain of the local Sheriff’s Aero Squadron. Flying search and rescue missions for the Squadron has brought Roberts much recognition for his instinctive ability to “just know” where downed aircraft and missing persons are located, having located seven downed aircraft in his flying career.

“When the job seemed a lost cause they called in John,” his wife, Susie, says. “He follows his heart and it leads him right to the spot.”

When not on search and rescue, Roberts performed prisoner transport, administrative flights for local County officials and, most thrillingly, marijuana eradication and drug busts. Before the Sheriff’s Department had its own helicopter, Roberts used his own helicopter and airplanes to help the Department with drug raids. “One guy I followed all the way from Santa Barbara to Lancaster, CA. I just stayed high, flew an irregular pattern and followed him right to the drug house.” Roberts lights up when describing the thrill of watching the SWAT teams in camouflage swarm the house from his airborne vantage.

Although Roberts no longer owns a helicopter he still keeps an ample supply of aircraft on hand: a yellow and grey T-28A Trojan, a red and white T-28B Trojan, an L-19 Cessna Birddog kept at San Lucas Ranch and the Cessna 310 twin that he originally owned with Jack Crawford since 1968. This collection no doubt is a good indication that the word “retirement” has no place in John Roberts’ vocabulary. His membership in flying clubs such as the Quiet Birdmen, Aviation Country Club, Santa Barbara Amateur radio Club and the Santa Barbara Control Modelers Club (often spotted flying on the San Lucas Ranch airstrip) is another indication that Roberts’ doesn’t plan to slow down.

With nearly 12,000 flying hours he still flies about once a week for the Sheriff’s Aero Squadron, but assignment or no assignment, flying is who Roberts is, it’s what he loves, and it’s what he was born to do.