Robert James Raine was born February 22, 1918 in Palisade, NV and spent his youth on his father’s ranch. He later attended San Francisco College where he boxed and played football. He took local flying lessons and was soon appointed to Pensacola Naval Officers Training Program and was stationed on the USS Saratoga flying torpedo bombers.
While in the Navy, he was recruited by General Chennault to join the AVG where he was credited with 3+ kills. After the AVG disbanded in July 1942, Raine stayed in China and continued with the CNAC and flew 443 missions over “The Hump”.
After the war, Raine, along with 9 other AVG pilots and Robert Prescott, was an original investor and in the Flying Tiger Line, where he continued to fly until he retired in 1978.
Raine and his family moved back to Nevada where he returned to h is first love, ranching, and a new interest took hold – breeding Arabian race horses.
Robert Raine died March 25, 2005 in Reno, Nevada. He was a decorated war hero earning two Distinguished Flying Cross medals and numerous other Chinese and American citations.