▁War ▁II , ▁he ▁shot ▁down ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁six ▁Japanese ▁plan es ▁and ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Navy ▁Cross , ▁making ▁him ▁the ▁only ▁Marine ▁night ▁f ighter ▁ace ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁career ▁ ▁Robert ▁B air d ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 2 1 , ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles , ▁California . ▁He ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁on ▁July ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁Enter ing ▁the ▁A viation ▁Cad et ▁Program , ▁he ▁was ▁designated ▁a ▁Naval ▁av i ator ▁and ▁received ▁his ▁commission ▁as ▁a ▁second ▁lieutenant ▁in ▁the ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁ ▁B air d ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁Marine ▁Night ▁F ighter ▁Squadron ▁ 5 3 2 ▁( VM F ( N )- 5 3 2 ) ▁at ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁Air ▁Station ▁Cher ry ▁Point , ▁North ▁Carolina ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁He ▁was ▁with ▁that ▁squad ron ▁when ▁it ▁deployed ▁to ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Theater ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁B air d ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁that ▁November . ▁ ▁Battle ▁of ▁Ok ina wa ▁ ▁B air d ▁deployed ▁to ▁the ▁Pacific ▁for ▁a ▁second ▁tour , ▁joining ▁Marine ▁Night ▁F ighter ▁Squadron ▁ 5 3 3 ▁( VM F ( N )- 5 3 3 ). ▁On ▁May ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁the ▁squad