General Robert Titus dies Sept. 8 at age 97

COLORADO SPRINGS. General Robert Titus, a highly decorated veteran of three wars, died Sept. 8 at age 91. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Sept. 23 at Corpus Christi Parish, followed by burial in the U.S. Air Force Academy Cemetery.

General Titus was born in Orange, New Jersey, on Dec. 6, 1926. He attended secondary schools in Maryland and Virginia and studied mining engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

At the age of 18, he enlisted in the Army, where he mastered infantry soldiering, was an honor guard squad leader and earned his paratrooper wings from the 82nd Airborne Division. Two years after World War II ended, Robert met a U.S. Air Force recruiter and joined the flight training program. Titus flew 101 combat missions in the F-51 and F-86 aircraft during the Korean War.

He attended test pilot training at Edwards Air Force Base in 1954 and participated in the flight test and development of all the Century Series fighter aircraft through the F-107. He accomplished the F-100 zero launch tests and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for the first single-engine jet fighter (F-100) across the North Pole.

In Vietnam, he was the commander of the only F-5 squadron in the USAF and became commander of the F-4 equipped Tactical Fighter Squadron.

He flew 400 combat missions in North and South Vietnam and destroyed three Mig-21s in aerial combat in his F-4 Phantom. He also was the project officer for the development of the F-15.

For a more detailed account of his military career, please see the recently- published biography “Earthquake” by author Bill Scott.

After the military, the General worked in commercial real estate development and was actively involved in golf, tennis, skiing, hiking and hunting with his family and friends. He was an avid reader of intellectual, philosophical, religious and political material. Being energetic his entire life, he even took up singing lessons in his 90s, adding a magnificent and rich basso profundo voice to the church choir.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Marjorie Titus and his grandson LCpl Daniel Titus, USMC. He is survived by his wife, Anna Marie, and by his four children, seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to Our Lady of Walsingham Academy in Colorado Springs are requested.