Robert Luckenbill's Obituary
LTC Robert E. Luckenbill, U S Army, Ret. was born August 6, 1930, to Robert and Louise Luckenbill in Decatur, Illinois, the first of four children. He attended Saint Thomas Elementary and Saint Teresa High Schools. Following high school in 1948, he briefly attended Passionist Seminary in Saint Louis, MO, before entering Saint Louis University. His college education was interrupted in 1952 when he was drafted.
In 1953, Bob completed basic training at Fort Chaffee, AR. Then, he was stationed at Fort Sill, OK, and trained as a forward artillery spotter. He was accepted to Officer Candidate School and received his commission as 2nd Lieutenant in 1954. Bob completed Army Aviation School at Fort Rucker, AL, and received his wings in 1955. His first aircraft was an Army L-19/01 - affectionately nick-named ‘bird dog’. In 1956, he was assigned to the 534th Armored Field Artillery Battalion in Germany. There, he met the love of his life, Gesila Erika Schmitt, daughter of a local innkeeper in the town of Bad Kissingen in Bavaria. In 1960, Bob completed Field Artillery Battery School and was promoted to the rank of Captain. In 1961, he received his rotary wing qualification allowing him to fly helicopters as well as fixed wing aircraft. Later that year, Bob deployed to Vietnam and was attached to the South Vietnamese Army 3rd Corps stationed at the Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Saigon. There, he was Operations Officer for MAGG Flight Detachment and flew three hundred hours of helicopter combat support missions.
On leave from Vietnam, Bob returned to Germany where he and Erika married on May 17, 1962. He completed his tour in Vietnam and returned stateside and served at Fort Bliss, TX, Missile School. Then, he was stationed at Air Defense Command, San Francisco, CA. In 1965, while in California, he was able to complete his degree at San Francisco State College. In 1966-1967, Bob served with the United States Strike Command based in Tehran, Iran. In September 1967, Bob returned to Vietnam for his second tour. He was Camp Commander at Qui Nhon 18th Aviation Co. During this period, he flew the Canadian-built Otter - the unit’s slogan was ‘low, slow and reliable.’ In 1968, Bob was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
In March 1973, he retired from the Army at Campbell Barracks, Heidelberg, Germany. During Bob’s twenty-year active-duty military career, he received many commendations and medals; most notably, The Joint Defense Service Air Medal (1967) for his part in a desert rescue mission while stationed in Iran, The Air Medal (1967) for his service in Vietnam, and The Bronze Star Medal (1968) for ‘Meritorious Achievement in Ground Operations against hostile forces in the Republic of Vietnam’ during the period August 1967 to July 1968.
Military retirement did not dampen his desire to serve. In 1979, he joined the U. S. Civil Service and trained as a munition’s expert at the Savanna Army Depot in Illinois and Crane Ammunitions Depot in Indiana. In this role, Bob oversaw the proper storage and maintenance of munitions. He traveled with an advanced party to the Middle East on the eve of the 1990 Gulf War where he was charged with handing over armament to the Abrams Tank groups.
In 2000, after a second career of twenty-one years in civil service, Bob retired again. He received a note from Brigadier General, Mike Lenears, personally thanking him for forty plus years of service to the Army and the Nation.
He and Erika moved to Huntsville, AL, to be near Erika’s only sister, Karin. During the next few years Bob, Erika, Karin and husband, Jack, and often joined by Bob’s brother, Larry, and wife, Happy, would get together on weekends. Sadly, Erika passed in March 2013. Bob moved back to Decatur, IL. In 2016, he rejoined the church of his youth, St. Thomas the Apostle.
He passed peacefully July 15, 2021, in Decatur, surrounded by family. Bob was a devout Roman Catholic, devoted husband, and life-long public servant. Bob was preceded in death by his wife Erika, parents, brother Fred, sister Joan and sister-in-law Karin Rist. He leaves brother Larry of Decatur, sister-in-law Nancy Luckenbill of Rock Island, brothers-in-law Ronald Brunner of Decatur and Jack Rist of Huntsville AL, as well as many of nieces, nephews, and grandnieces and nephews of the Luckenbill and Brunner families, all of whom knew him only as ‘Uncle Bob.’
Mass of the Christian Burial will be held at St Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, Decatur, IL, at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, March 5, 2022, with visitation one-hour prior. Fr. Michael Trummer officiating. Entombment will be in Graceland/Fairlawn ‘Star of Hope’ Mausoleum next to Erika. Military honors will be accorded. Memorials may be made to St. Thomas Church or St. Teresa High School. The family is being served by Moran and Goebel Funeral Home.
Obituary written by the family.
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