WWII: US ARMY AIR CORPS, SGT Robert Henry Welser, Born: 20 Sep 1925, Saginaw Arthur Hill 1943, SERGEANT. AERIAL GUNNER WITH THE 10TH AIR FORCE, 7TH BOMB GROUP IN THE CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATRE. Married: 13 Jun 1948, Winifred Soldan, Died: 4 Feb 2015, Buried: Ridge Cemetery, Gladwin County, Michigan.

Awarded Air Medal in Burma: Award of the Air Medal to Sgt. Robert H. Welser, 19 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Welser of Gladwin, was announced by Maj. Gen. Howard C. Davidson, Commanding General, Tenth Air Force, in Burma. Sgt. Welser, who has been in the service 15 months, spent the past 5 months in the India Burma theater with the veteran 7th Bombardment Group of the Tenth Air Force. He is credited with 22 missions and 200 hours of combat flying. The Sergeant graduated from Arthur Hill high school, in Saginaw to the General Motors Institute at Flint. GCR 5/9/1945

Sgt. Robert H. Welser, son of Mr and Mrs Fred Welser, received his honorable discharge from the Army at Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas, on November 17th. He was a top-turret gunner, on a B-24, with the Tenth Air Force, Seventh Heavy Bomber Group. In his 11 months overseas he participated in three major campaigns, in 27 bombing missions, and was credited with 300 hours of combat flying. Sgt. Welser served in the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations, receiving the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster and the Distinguished Flying Cross. During the Christmas holidays he is working at the Gladwin Hardware Company, but will enter Michigan State College after the first of the year; prior to his entering the Army he was a student at the General Motors Technical School at Flint. GCR 11/28/1945

Robert Henry Welser, 89, beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, great-great grandfather and brother was called home on Wednesday Feb. 4, 2015 to be with his Lord and Savior after a short illness.
Bob was born on Sept. 20, 1925 in Marine City to Fred and Harriet Welser. He graduated from Saginaw Arthur Hill high school in 1943 and attended General Motors Institute. Bob served his country during WWII as a gunner on a B-24 bomber in India. After the war ended he attended and graduated from Michigan State University. Bob met the love of his life, Winifred Soldan in 1947 and they were united in marriage on June 13, 1948. She preceded him in death in 2011 and Bob missed her greatly. Bob and Win were known for many years in Gladwin as the couple that walked together downtown hand in hand on their way to the Pepper Mill for morning coffee. After Winifred’s death Bob was seen even more often in the Pepper Mill. Bob was a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church and served in many leadership roles over the years. He always sang in the choir.