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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Nov '90
Robert Francis Patterson No.15707 Class of 1946
Died 24 December 1986 in Orlando, Florida, aged 65 years. Interment:
Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia
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Robert Francis Patterson was born 23 July 1921
in Columbus, Ohio. His family moved to Kentucky when Bob was
quite young, and then to Long Island, where Bob spent most of
his boyhood. One of his lifetime friends remembers that Bob retained
the nickname of "Kentucky" for some time after moving
to Long Island. Even as a youngster, Bob is remembered as having
a delightful sense of humor and the ability to see the humorous
side of most situations. Bob graduated from Bryant High School
in Astoria, New York, and wanted to go to college. With six brothers
and sisters, it was necessary for him to pay his own way. He
was able to get admitted to the City College of New York for
the evening session as a ''limited matriculated" student
with the stipulation that, if he could complete 15 credits it
two semesters with a B average, then he could become a "fully
matriculated" student in the day session. Bob was able to
meet the requirements and was able to enroll in the Engineering
School at CCNY. In 1942, shortly after Pearl Harbor, Bob went
into the Army where his commander got him to take the competitive
exam for West Point. Thus, on 1 July 1943 Bob entered the Academy
with the Class of 1946 and fulfilled a lifetime dream.
Easygoing and good-natured, Bob did what was necessary
to survive his time at West Point. He was much smarter than his
academic standing indicated, as was amply demonstrated by his
postgraduate work later in his career. His attitude as a cadet
was that "whatever will be will be--don't sweat the small
stuff." He loved leading songfests, and was always one of
the leaders of these at company and class picnics. One close
friend recalls Bob as ''The Happy Wanderer."
Graduation saw Bob go into the Infantry, where
he attended the Basic Course at Fort Benning, Georgia. From Benning
he was assigned to the 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division in
Germany. From Germany, Bob was assigned to the Army General School
at Fort Riley, Kansas. Fort Riley at that time had been just
redesignated from the old Cavalry School, and Infantry lieutenants
were at a definite disadvantage there. When Bob reported to the
assistant commandant, he was told, "We treat Infantry officers
as branch immaterial here.'' On 3 June 1951 Bob married Jackie
Stewart at Fort Benning, Georgia. After the Infantry, Advanced
Course, at Benning in 1953. Bob went to jump school and was off
to Korea where he served as assistant G-3 and then S-3 in the
7th Infantry Regiment. From Korea, Bob returned to Hawaii where
he was a company commander, then S-3 and executive officer of
a battalion. In 1957 Bob was selected to attend the University
of Virginia at Charlottesville, where he graduated in 1959 with
a master's degree in physics. Following a tour at Fort Monroe,
Virginia with Continental Army Command, Bob transferred to the
Signal Corps. After attending the Signal Advanced Course. Bob
was assigned to the Army Research & Development Group in
Japan in 1963. His next assignment was with the Defense Intelligence
Agency in Washington, DC. Bob decided that intelligence work
was not to his liking, so he retired from the Army on 31 July
1965 as a lieutenant colonel.
Following his retirement, Bob accepted a position
doing defense contract work with Martin Marietta in Orlando,
Florida. He found his niche in life there, and progressed to
increasingly responsible jobs with that firm. He was even able
to obtain a second master's degree at Rollins College. Unfortunately,
Bob and Jackie were divorced in the early 1970's. Shortly after
the divorce, Bob suffered a massive stroke 31 December 1973,
which left him paralyzed on the right side and unable to communicate
normally. His condition was such that his daughters had no choice
but to place him in a nursing home. Bob remained in nursing homes
until Christmas 1986. when he died from pneumonia. He was survived
by his daughters Pamela, Patricia, and Judith.
Bob always had a desire for knowledge and education.
He always felt that his research & development work with
Martin Marietta fulfilled this need in his life. He was proud
of being a West Pointer. He continued to live the motto: Duty,
Honor, Country throughout his life. He was a loving father, always
loyal to his God, his family, and his country. After his stroke
it was Bob's faith that made his life meaningful.
His daughter Patricia submitted the following testimony
of Bob's faith:
"Daddy's stroke was tragic in that it left a very intelligent
man physically, and mentally incompetent for the rest of his
life. It was frustrating for him not being able to communicate
easily the thoughts going through his mind and to be so dependent
on others. But God is sovereign in all things and used the stroke
to bring daddy into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
"The Bible says, in John 3:16, 'For God so loved the world
that He give his only begotten Son (Jesus) that whoever believes
in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.' That truth
got into daddy's heart only after he became completely helpless
and he accepted that free gift from God, healing him spiritually
and giving him the assurance of eternal life with his creator
in heaven.
"When he died, he was freed from the pain and suffering
of this world and entered into the presence of his Lord, fully
at peace.
"My sisters and I buried daddy at Arlington with full military
honor's. As the band played 'Holy, Holy, Holy,' a vivid memory
came hack to me as a little girl standing next to daddy at church
and hearing him sing strongly the words to this, his favorite
hymn. How real the words became to daddy in the last years of
his life, having accepted the salvation of God through Christ:
'Holy, Holy, Holy, there is none beside thee, perfect in power,
in love and purity.' Though I miss my father, I thank my Lord
and Savior, Jesus Christ, that I will he united in heaven with
him one day."
To this, his classmates, can only add, "Well Done Bob, Be
Thou At Peace!"
1946 Memorial Article Project and his daughter Patricia
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