Robert L. "Hap" Holliday was born July 28, 1916. After graduating from high school in 1934 he worked as a welder until 1942, all the while taking night school and correspondence courses. In 1942 he joined the Army Air Corps and was part of class 43F (Gulf Coast). Holliday completed his preflight training at San Antonio, Texas; primary flight training at Chickasha, Oklahoma; basic flight training at Enid, Oklahoma; and advanced training at Pampa, Texas. He was then sent to B-26 Transition School at Dodge City, Kansas to learn to fly the Martin B-26 Marauder. He then went to Avon Park Army Air Field, Florida; MacDill Air Force Base, Florida; and Lake Charles, Louisiana to complete air crew training and practice for combat. Holliday was assigned to the 572nd and 573rd Bomb Squadrons in the 391st Bomb Group. He flew 65 missions between March 1944 and November 1944, including D-Day and the air campaign afterward. He returned to the United States on Christmas morning 1944 and was assigned to Dodge City, Kansas as a training instructor until discharged in August of 1945. After the war he worked as a sales engineer, selling welding equipment and processes. He joined the Pennsylvania Air National Guard in 1946 and served until 1969. In 1952 Holliday started R. L. Holliday Company as a manufacture representative handling non-destructive testing equipment. Holliday was a member of several organizations related to his World War II service. He served as Commander of the 391st Bomb Group Association from 1981-1982, the Board of Directors of the B-26 Marauder Historical Society, and the B-26 Archives Advisory Council.
From the description of Robert L. Holliday papers, 1942-2001. (University of Akron). WorldCat record id: 756033696
From the guide to the B-26 Marauder Archives, Robert L. Holliday Papers, 1942-2001, (Archival Services, University Libraries, The University of Akron)
