SSG Robert Lee Taylor

courtesy of Frogman

SSG Robert Lee Taylor was born 30 Jun 1912 in Greensville County, Virginia. He was the 3rd of 9 children born to John Thomas and Mary Lottie (Jean) Taylor. The family farmed rented land in the Zion and Belfield Districts in Greensville County. In 1940 Robert was working for a company making insulating boards for which he reported a 1939 income of $660.

Robert joined the National Guard, probably M Company 116th Infantry, in the latter half of 1940. 2 of his brothers were already members of the unit. All were mobilized together in February 1941.  As they trained for deployment to Europe they eventually were separated with Robert leaving M Company and being reassigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company 3rd Battalion 116th Infantry, M Company's battalion. PVT and then PFC Taylor trained at Fort George Meade, Maryland, in the Carolina Maneuvers near Fort Bragg and at Camp Blanding, Florida before shipping out with the unit aboard the Queen Mary for England. Once there he continued to train with the unit including training for the planned amphibious operation that was to be a major part of the liberation of occupied France. He took part in that event, landing with his unit on D-Day, 6 Jun 1944 and continued to serve until killed in action near Saint-André-de-l'Épine, France.

SSG Taylor rests forever in the Normandy American Cemetery.

Brother, Melvin Brooks Taylor, served as a TSGT and 2LT in M Company 116th Infantry before and during the war, was wounded and survived the war and continued to serve. Brother, Elwood Meade Taylor, was also in M Company in 1940, as a PVT, was reassigned, survived the war and retired as a 1SG.