This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Dennis Monagle (Dennis), LCDR
to remember
Ober, Peter Benjamin, LT.
If you knew or served with this Sailor and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Contact Info
Home Town Charleston, South Carolina
Last Address Sigonella, Italy
Date of Passing Jul 16, 2003
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Lieutenant Peter Benjamin Ober, United States Navy, died July 16, 2003 in a helicopter crash near Sigonella Naval Air Station in Sicily.
He was born February 24, 1976 in Charleston, South Carolina, and raised in Quantico, Virginia; Bremerton, Washington; and Orange Park, Florida. He graduated from Episcopal High School in Jacksonville, Florida. He attended the Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, and graduated in 1998 as a proud member of Charlie Company.
He accepted a commission in the Navy and was trained as a Naval Aviator. He was stationed in Pensacola, Florida; Corpus Christi, Texas; Milton, Florida; Norfolk, Virginia; and Sigonella, Sicily.
In Charleston, he met Alicia, with whom he fell in love, married, and together they had a beautiful daughter, Madeline. They were the center of his life. He was a wonderful husband, father, son, brother, and faithful friend to so many people. He brought enthusiasm to everything he did. His open and friendly manner combined with his easy sense of humor immediately put others at ease. He valued tradition and united his family. He had a strong relationship with God. He enjoyed motorcycle riding, racing and repair. Most of all, he loved to fly helicopters.
A strong sense of duty to his country and his ability to work with others allowed him to thrive in the Navy. His sense of honor, integrity and honesty even in small things made him an inspiring leader and role model. He was recently promoted to Lieutenant and had advanced in his career to Helicopter Aircraft Commander. He was recently honored to be assigned as Division Maintenance Officer responsible for supervision of aircraft maintenance and repair.
He is survived by his wife, Alicia Lindsey Ober, formerly of Charleston, South Carolina; his daughter, Madeline Jodelle Ober; his parents, Vincent H. and Susan Ober, from Jacksonville, Florida; sisters, Marianne E. Ober and Erin A. Ober, from Seattle, Washington; his grandparents, William E. and Margaret Davenport from Chesapeake, Virginia; and many loving relatives and friends. He was predeceased by his grandparents, Vincent H. and Margaret C. Ober, from Norfolk, Virginia.
Funeral Services with Full Military Honors will be held at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, on August 22, at 3:00 P.M. Memorial Services will also be held in Norfolk, Virginia, at Larchmont Methodist Church, August 23, at 3:00 P.M.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to a scholarship fund of your choice. A college fund has been established for the children of Commander Kevin Bianchi and Lieutenant Peter Ober (the other two sailors had no children). Donations will be split equally among the four children. To contribute, send a check to: College Bound fund, c/o James Donovan, 527 Stuyvesant Ave., Lyndhurst, New Jersey 07071, or Peter Benjamin Ober Memorial Fund, c/o Citadel Foundation, 171 Moultrie Street, Charleston, South Carolina.
Training Squadron TWO-EIGHT was commissioned on May 1, 1960 under the leadership of Commanding Officer, Commander O. T. Knight. Prior to that, VT-28 operated as Advanced Training Unit 611. The primary mission of VT-28 was advanced multi-engine flight training for Student Naval Aviators (SNAs). Over 6,000 Naval Aviators had been trained by VT-28 before assignment to fixed wing, multi-engine squadrons. This curriculum has evolved over the years in response to the changing need to the Navy and advances in aviation technology.
VT-28 quickly established a standard of excellence which has continued unabated for 56 years. With 44 instructors, 48 TS-2F "Tracker" aircraft, 400 enlisted personnel and an average on board student count of 125, VT-28 set new training, safety, and cost efficiency records in its first ten months of operation. During the 1960's, as the demand for fixed wing maritime pilots increased, so did the scope and responsibility of the Training Squadron TWO-EIGHT mission.
By the mid-sixties, the flight syllabus, augmented by simultaneous ground training, had expanded to include Familiarization, Basic and Radio Instrument Navigation, Cross County, Night Familiarization and Carrier Qualification. The TS-2F "Tracker" proved itself a most reliable and stable training platform during periods of changes in the syllabus and increased requirements. In 1969 alone, nearly 300 Naval Aviators were designated and 40,000 aircraft hours flown by VT-28. The squadron carrier qualified or "CQ 'd" thousands of Student Naval Aviators in the "Tracker" until its retirement in 1979 when it was replaced by the T-44A on March 1st of that year.
The squadron continued to train Advanced Maritime Student Naval Aviators in the T-44A aircraft until 1990, at which time CNATRA directed the squadron to change its mission and become the first Instructor Training Squadron. VT-28 then assumed the responsibility for all instructors training within Training Air Wing FOUR as well as Instructor Standardization, Functional Check Flights, and course curriculum oversight in both the T-34C and the T-44A aircraft.
On April 1, 1993, VT-28 changed its mission once again; this time to provide Primary/Intermediate flight training instruction to Student Naval Aviators while flying the T-34C. In the first months as CNATRA's fifth Primary Squadron, VT-28 continued to set the standard for training excellence, flying over 20,230 mishap free flight hours and graduating over 200 primary students and over 100 intermediate students.
In April 2015, the Rangers heralded a new age in their Primary training history with the arrival of the new T-6B Texan II aircraft and bid a fond farewell to the mighty and venerable T-34C Turbo-Mentor. The T-34C became operational in 1977 and VT-28 was the last Primary squadron to fly and "sundown" the T-34C. The Rangers expertly completed over 525,000 flight hours, 271,000 flights, and produced 4,844 Primary Student Naval Aviators in the T-34C Turbo-Mentor during its long and distinguished service life of more than 38 years. With the T-6B's improved performance, modern avionics and safety systems, the VT-28 Rangers continue their tradition as CNATRA's premier Primary training squadron, continuing to provide the highest quality Student Naval Aviators to meet fleet requirements.
