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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Jan '94
ROBERT FRANCIS DICKSON NO. 15604 Class
of 1946. Died 30 January 1972 at Valley Stream, New
York, aged 47 years. Interment: Long Island National Cemetery,
Farmingdale New York.
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ROBERT FRANCIS (BOB) DICKSON was born 16 March 1924 in Dallas,
Texas. His father was in the retail clothing business and Bob
attended school in various parts of the country before entering
Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, Missouri as a freshman in
1937. His stint at Missouri Military marked Bob as a true leader.
He was on the debate team, played varsity football, baseball
and wrestled. His forte, however, was rifle marksmanship. He
was on the rifle team all four years and was captain his senior
year. He won the grand aggregate championship of the Greater
St. Louis Rifle League and the Hearst Trophy Medal as well as
the ROTC expert rifleman's badge. He was named the most valuable
freshman in ROTC and, as a senior, was awarded the Most Versatile
Cadet plaque. A classmate from MMA, Jack Ferguson, who later
graduated from the Naval Academy, recalled, "Dix, as we
called him, was always just ahead of me all through our years
at the academy, just enough to make me try that much harder.
We both closed out as cadet company commanders, he with C Company.
A natural leader, Dix was always an inspiration to everyone with
whom he came into contact - strong, yet kind and considerate.
If you were lucky enough to be his friend, that you were forever,
through hell and fire." Bob was the valedictorian of his
class and received an Honor School Appointment to West Point
from Missouri Military Academy. He graduated from MMA in 1941
and attended Queen's College in Long Island before entering West
Point on I July 1943 with the Class of 1946.
Bob's four years at MMA prepared him well for cadet life.
He had no problem with any facet of life at West Point. He continued
with his marksmanship as a member of the rifle team each of his
three years, becoming captain of the team his last year. He was
also a member of the Cadet Choir his entire time at the Academy.
He pinned on the gold bars of a second lieutenant in the Quartermaster
Corps at graduation.
Bob married Kathryn (Kay) Weigold at the West Point Chapel
on 6 June 1946, just two days after graduation. Bob and Kay traveled
to Fort Benning, Georgia in July 1943. There, Bob attended the
Officer's Branch Immaterial Course. Later that year, the Dicksons
moved to Camp Lee, Virginia for the Quartermaster Basic Officer's
Course. In 1947, Bob was selected to attend Stanford University
where he received his Master's in Business Administration. From
Stanford, Bob received orders to join the 24th Infantry Division
in Kokura, Japan. As soon as quarters were available, Kay joined
him in there. While there, Kay was employed with the US Forces.
When the Korean War started, Bob deployed to Korea with the
24th Division and served in Pusan during the early phases of
the war. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his wartime
service. After about six months in Korea, Bob learned that his
mother was dying, and he returned to the States, reassigned to
the Quartermaster Procurement Center in New York City. Meanwhile,
Kay was still employed in Japan and couldn't get transportation
back in the States until six months after Bob returned. In 1953,
Bob resigned from the Army to try his hand at civilian life.
His first position was as administrative assistant to the
president of Fairchild Aviation. He later rose to become the
vice president of the company. In the meantime, Bob's father
had become president of National Bellas Hess Stores with headquarters
in Kansas City, a mail order and retail clothing corporation.
He kept pressuring Bob to join him in his business until finally
Bob gave in. Bob became vice president in New York City. He continued
working with his father's company until philosophical differences
with his father as to how things should be done caused Bob to
leave. He then took a position in research and development with
the Grumman Corporation. He later became Office Manager for Mitchell-Hutchin
Corporation on Wall Street and again was making a name for himself
in the business world. On 30 January 1972, Bob was taking a nap
after mowing the lawn when he suffered a heart attack and died
in his sleep. He was survived by his wife Kay and two sons, Mark
and Paul.
Bob Dickson was proud of his West Point heritage. He knew
only one way to do things: the correct way. He believed, more
than anyone will ever know, in the West Point motto, Duty, Honor,
Country. It shaped his life in so many ways and provided the
family he loved with an inner strength. One of Bob's greatest
assets was his quiet ability to lead by example. Always ready
to teach, encourage and scold when necessary, he was gentle yet
very strong-willed and dedicated to his beliefs.
After several detours on his life's path, Bob was looking
forward to his new career on Wall Street when his life was cut
short. His family, friends and classmates will always remember
and miss him. His beloved Kay died 4 July 1988. The Class of
1946 joins Bob's family in saying, "Rest
In Peace, Bob."
' 46 Memorial Article Project and his sons Mark and Paul
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