World War II Honoree

Robert Love Henry, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Rutledge, Tennessee

Honored By

James O. Sweeny

Relationship

Classmate

HE WAS CALLED INTO ACTIVE DUTY IN THE U.S. ARMY AS A 2ND LIEUTENANT IN MAY, 1941. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE ABERDEEN PROVING GROUNDS AND SERVED IN THE ORDNANCE TRAINING CENTER. FROM THERE HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO CALIFORNIA TO SET UP A WEST COAST ORDNANCE TRAINING CENTER AT THE SANTA ANITA RACE TRACK, PREVIOUSLY A U.S. JAPANESE PRISON CAMP. AFTER ABOUT A YEAR, HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE MISSISSIPPI ORDNANCE TRAINING UNIT TO STRENGTHEN THE MANAGEMENT TEAM. HE WAS NEXT ASSIGNED TO THE CHIEF OF ARMY ORDNANCE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND ORDERED TO HEAD UP A SPECIAL TEAM OF TWO OFFICERS TO GO TO THE PHILIPPINES AND INSTRUCT USERS OF THE NEWLY DEVELOPED PROXIMITY ARTILLERY FUSES. WHEN THE WAR IN JAPAN ENDED, HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO JAPAN TO LOCATE AND REPORT ON JAPANESE COPYING OF U.S. WEAPONS. HE WAS DISCHARGED FROM ACTIVE DUTY AS A CAPTAIN IN JANUARY 1947, HAVING EARNED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL, ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL (JAPAN BAR), AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL.