Passed on April 8, 2010, son of Robert I.
Sr. and Elsie Oneto Eaton. He was born July 13, 1924 at Stanford University
Hospital, then in San Francisco, CA. His father was to move the family back to
his native Los Angeles shortly thereafter. Robert attended schools in Los
Angeles up until the end of the 10th grade, attending John C. Fremont High
School until 1941. At that point, his father’s career necessitated a move to
Redding, CA, where Robert Jr. graduated from Shasta Union High School in 1943.
Immediately after graduation, Robert entered into military service. At the
induction station in Sacramento, CA he volunteered to join the U.S. Navy on June
7th, 1943. On June 14th, he boarded a train heading north from Redding for Navy
Boot Camp at Farragut, ID. After Boot Camp, he was sent to Treasure Island, San
Francisco, CA for Class A Fire Control School. Note, for those not in the know,
Fire Control School is not for firemen, it is for the control of naval gunnery.
From there he went on to Class B Fire Control School in San Diego, CA. After
completion he was assigned back to Treasure Island and the Destroyer Pool. Crews
were assembled from this pool for new vessels about to be commissioned.
Robert became a crew member of the USS Hugh W. Hadley (DD-774) then approaching
commissioning at Terminal Island, San Pedro, CA. From there the ship embarked
upon a normal shakedown cruise. At the end of this cruise, the ship set sail for
the Western Pacific. His combat duty time was fairly short but truly eventful.
On 11 May, 1945 he became a part of naval history. The USS Hadley became the
all-time champion kamikaze killer. Twenty three aircraft were splashed in ninety
minutes as the ship fought desperately to beat back waves of Japanese attackers
off of Okinawa. The last three of the 23 aircraft reached their intended target
and were destroyed upon crashing into the Hadley. Thirty one men were to die as
a result of this May 11 action and over seventy were wounded, Robert included.
The kamikaze impacts left the ship disabled and without its own power. It was
subsequently towed back to Hunter’s Point, San Francisco, CA, decommissioned and
sold for scrap. Despite its inglorious end, the ship did not go without
recognition, receiving a Presidential Unit Citation and numerous individual
awards including over seventy Purple Hearts.
After his discharge from the Navy, Robert found a girl and subsequently married.
The girl was Carmella Dellaragione and they were married January 18, 1948. This
union produced first one daughter, Lisa, and then another, Denise, followed by a
son, Robert III.
After working several different jobs and spending twelve months re-mobilized for
Korean War duty, Robert went to work at Lockheed Aircraft in Burbank, CA. He was
ultimately assigned to a temporary status field support position at Edwards Air
Force Base. This relocation, in 1963, would lead to the Eatons leaving their
North Hollywood home, never to return. They decamped to Lancaster, CA, where the
family became long-standing parishioners of Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
This was the beginning of his life with the SR-71 Blackbird. He never returned
to Burbank but continued working in the AV on the Blackbird program until, and
even after, his retirement in 1987. He continued with Lockheed Aircraft Co. as a
job-shopper and spent time with NASA Dryden as an independent contractor. He
finally retired in October 1999, after the last flight of the SR-71. The
Blackbird’s demise meant true retirement for Robert, having spent 36 years
working on and around the aircraft.
Since 1996, Robert kept himself busy during retirement with his website. The
site, www.usshadley.com, is a memorial webpage commemorating the crew and
exploits of the USS Hugh W. Hadley DD-774. He also enjoyed attending the
reunions of his wartime shipmates that took place every two years.
Over time, Robert and Carmella accumulated four grandchildren, David Eaton of
West Hollywood, Rachel Rhoten of Quartz Hill, Stephen Wagstaff of San Francisco,
and Layna Frausto of Woodland Hills. In time, two great-grandchildren were to
arrive, Hannah and Matthew Rhoten, both of Quartz Hill.
Carmella and Robert celebrated their 62nd anniversary in January of 2010.
Robert passed peacefully after a short hospitalization following a fall. He was
surrounded by family in his final hours. He is survived by his wife, three
children, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.