Mr. Robert H. McIlwain

Cullum: 18358

Class: '51

Cadet Company: G2

Date of Birth: November 12, 1927

Date of Death: November 4, 2008 - View or Post a Eulogy

From the 50th reunion book:

After Graduation there was Basic Infantry Officer school at Ft. Benning, Georgia followed mp School and Jumpmaster training. Then off to Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky, where s the Exec of a Basic Training Company of the 100st Airborne Division. My next assigment was in Korea with the 223rd Infantry Regiment ofthe 40th Infantry Division where I served as Platoon leader, Regimental Liaison Officer, Battalion S-2 and later Company Commander of G Co. I returned stateside in June 1953 to the 31st Division at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, and later with the same Division at Fort Carson, Colorado when it was transferred. I served there as Aide to the Assistant Division Commander and later as Exec and eventually Company Commander of # Company, 13th Regiment. I was back at Ft. benning again for the Advanced Infantry Officer course and from there to the ROTC Detachment at Oregon State College, Corvallis, Oregon. While there I was found to have cancer which was removed at Madigan Hospital Ft. Lewis W A. I was then placed on TDRL for 5 years, and opted for discharge in 1964.

My civilian Career started at the Ford Motor Company in Mahwah, New Jersey as an Industrial Engineer (IE). I also did IE work for the Johnson & Johnson and Endicott Johnson Shoe Corporation, where I rose to General Manager of Production Engineering. Then, I was off to St. Louis for Rexall Drug as Manager of the Distribution Center. I served as Plant managers for other companies until 1974 when after too many brushes with corporate politics and downsizing I decided to go for hourly work , a Union company. I was hired and trained as an over-the-road driver for McLean Trucking. After they went under, I worked for Anchor Motor freight as a Road driver delivering new cars to dealerships, from which I retired in 1992.

Since retiring, I did a bit of volunteer work for the local LPGA tournament for 4 years and now we are into Retired Racing greyhound Rescue, which is very rewarding. We have two greyhounds of our own and enjoy them very much.