World War II Honoree

Robert LeGrand Backman

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Salt Lake City, Utah

Honored By

Janet Backman & Family

Drafted into the Army of the United States of America on June 10, 1944 assigned to serve his basic training at Camp Wolters, Texas. At the conclusion of the 17 weeks at Wolters, he was given orders which took him across the Pacific Ocean to Hollandia, New Guinea. It took 29 days for the ship to reach that far away island. He discovered then that he and all the other men on the ship were really replacements for the casualties. Receiving orders, they found themselves on ships headed for the Philippine Islands, expecting to invade Lingayen Bay. To their amazement, they found the Bay deserted. The Japanese had fled inland to the hills, so the Army had no opposition as they approached their goal. As they invaded, the Japanese began their attack from the hills, firing on the 43rd Division. He was pulled from the ranks and promoted from Private to Sergeant and made the Message Center Chief of the 43rd Division, later serving as leader of the Message Center of the 11th Corps when the Division entered Japan. He was ordered back to the USA after the Armistice and was released from the Army in January 1946 with the rank of Sergeant First Class.