▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Britain ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁ 1 1 ▁American ▁pil ots ▁who ▁fle w ▁with ▁R AF ▁F ighter ▁Command ▁between ▁ 1 0 ▁July ▁and ▁ 3 1 ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁thereby ▁qual ifying ▁for ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Britain ▁cl asp ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 9 – 4 5 ▁campaign ▁star . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Born ▁in ▁Salt ▁Lake ▁City , ▁Ut ah , ▁but ▁raised ▁from ▁early ▁child hood ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles , ▁California , ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Ign ati us ▁Qu im by ▁Tob in ▁and ▁Mary ▁A lic ia ▁Tob in ▁( née ▁O ' F all on ). ▁Tob in ▁initially ▁came ▁to ▁Europe ▁to ▁fight ▁on ▁the ▁side ▁of ▁Finland ▁against ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ' s ▁invasion ▁of ▁that ▁country , ▁but ▁host ilities ▁had ▁ceased ▁before ▁he ▁arrived . ▁He ▁was ▁already ▁a ▁qualified ▁pilot , ▁having ▁learned ▁to ▁fly ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s . ▁ ▁Tob in ▁and ▁Andrew ▁M amed off ▁had ▁been ▁flying ▁friends ▁at ▁M ines ▁Field ▁in ▁California ▁before ▁the ▁war . ▁ ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁French ▁Air ▁Force ▁towards ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁France , ▁but ▁as ▁France ▁fell ▁he ▁came ▁to ▁England ▁with ▁his ▁friends ▁and ▁fellow ▁Americans ▁Andrew ▁M amed off ▁and ▁Vern on ▁Ke og h ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁