Displays
Bob Lehnhausen B-24 Pilot 44th BG
Bob Lehnhausen was born on 11 September 1919 to Frank and Florence Lehnhausen of Peoria, IL. In May of 1941, he entered the Army Air Forces Cadet Program. After the successful completion of his pilot training, Bob joined the 44th Bomb Group, 68th Bomb Squadron of the 8th Air Force.
After flying 35 missions he was transferred to Group Headquarters and continued flying combat missions as a Command Pilot. In early April 1944, Bob was promoted to Squadron Commander of the 68th Bomb Squadron and remained so until the end of the war. After the 
war, Bob returned to Peoria and continued to serve in the Air Force Reserve until 1969.
Bob was elected to the Peoria City Council in 1953 and he served as mayor from 1965-1969. Following his single term in office, he went on to head the Illinois Housing Authority and the Illinois Department of Local Government Affairs. In 1973, Bob left local politics to take on a new role as an officer at Peoria’s First Federa
l Savings Bank, where he worked until he retired in 1985.
He was married to his wife Elizabeth for 72 years, they have eight children, 13 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.
Bob passed away on 5 March 2018 at the age of 98. We lost an American hero and I lost a good friend.
On display is the A2 jacket Bob wore during the war as a B-24 pilot with the 44th Bomb Group.
