Meet Ventura Townehouse resident and centenarian Col Robert O. Beringer!
Long-time Ventura resident Ret. Air Force Colonel Robert O. Beringer celebrated his 100th birthday with friends and family this past fall, October 6, 2021.
Born in Wisconsin as one of 8 siblings, Robert looks back on a long, fulfilled life of military duty, including a World War II mission as a navigator with “Ken’s Men”, sobriquet for the 43rd Bomb Group, stationed on the small island of Owi off northwest mainland New Guinea. He received the Air Medal and three oak leaf clusters for combat, and in 1947 transferred to the active Reserve.
After the war, Robert earned an MS in geology and took a job as a petroleum geologist with Conoco. After Conoco transferred him to California, he joined the 9378th Air Reserve Squadron, training monthly at the Santa Barbara armory. In 1969, he was appointed Commander and promoted to Colonel in 1970. He was appointed Commander of the 9339th ARS and in 1975 retired. He retired from Conoco in 1985. His retirement goal was to acquire a better understanding of world history and geology. Pursuing that objective, he visited over 26 countries, the Galapagos Islands, Machu Picchu, Stonehenge, Pompeii, Egypt, Serengeti, the Silk Road and Switzerland and many states of the US.
As a token of the immensely positive influence Robert had on others during his long life, in addition to his family and local friends, a group of former colleagues, many of whom he had taken under his wings when they were just starting out in their careers, flew out to California from all over the US to celebrate this special milestone with him. They stated it had been 30-40 years since they saw him last but they never forgot the kindness, encouragement and wisdom he represented! During his birthday celebration, Ret. Colonel Robert O. Beringer was presented with a certificate declaring him an honorary member of the United States Space Force! He also received a letter from the President of the United States thanking him for his inspiring service in the United States Air Force.
