Bob Rogers (SAAF officer)

South African Air Force general

Robert Harry Doherty Rogers (7 November 19213 June 2000) was a Chief of the South African Air Force. He joined the South African Air Force (SAAF) in 1940, and served in the Second World War and the Korean War. He subsequently rose through the ranks to become Chief of the SAAF. After his military career he entered politics and served as a Member of Parliament.

Rogers was born in Warden in the Orange Free State, South Africa, on 7 November 1921. He won his Springbok (i. e. national) colours Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, and the Korean Order of Military Merit. at the end of 1974, he was appointed Acting Chief of the Air Force. He was promoted lieutenant general in March 1975 when he was confirmed as Chief of the Air Force, the post he held until his retirement in 1979.

Rogers retired from the SAAF in 1979 and settled in Knysna, Cape Province. In 1989, he became the Democratic Party MP for Walmer, Port Elizabeth and was defence spokesman for that party in parliament.

Rogers was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar for his gallantry in combat operations, as well as being Mentioned in Despatches, during the Second World War. In Korea, he was awarded the American Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with oak leaf cluster and the South Korean Chungmu Decoration with Gold Star. For service in the SAAF, he was awarded the Order of the Star of South Africa, the Southern Cross Medal and the Chief of Defence Force Commendation (later known as the Medal of Military Merit).