Rembrandt C. Robinson

Last updated • 5 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
Rembrandt C. Robinson
RADM Rembrandt Robinson, USN.jpg
Born(1924-10-02)October 2, 1924
Clearfield, Pennsylvania, United States
DiedMay 8, 1972(1972-05-08) (aged 47)
Gulf of Tonkin
Buried
Arlington National Cemetery
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branch United States Navy
Years of service1943–1972
Rank Rear Admiral
Commands held USS Charles Berry
USS Bradford
Battles/wars World War II

Korean War
Vietnam War

Awards Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Bronze Star Medal (2)

Rembrandt Cecil Robinson (October 2, 1924 – May 8, 1972) was a United States Navy officer who was stationed in the Tonkin Gulf during the Vietnam War. Robinson died in 1972, in a helicopter crash; he was the only Navy flag officer killed during the Vietnam War. His remains were cremated and the ashes were spread at sea from USS Orleck off San Diego, California. Robinson has a memorial cross in Arlington National Cemetery.

Contents

Robinson was the last American flag officer to die as a result of official duty in a combat zone until Lieutenant General Timothy J. Maude was killed at the Pentagon in the September 11 attacks of 2001, and the last killed in the line of duty abroad until Major General Harold J. Greene in Afghanistan in 2014. [1]

Early life and education

Robinson was born October 2, 1924, in Clearfield, Pennsylvania, the son of Issac, a World War I navy veteran, and Helen Bailey Robinson. He attended Pennsylvania State College for a time before enlisting in the Navy Reserve as a midshipman in 1943. He was commissioned in the Navy Reserve as an ensign in 1944. [2]

World War II

Upon commissioning, Robinson was assigned to the amphibious force, first on the staff of Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet, then aboard the Landing Ship, Tank LST-485. While aboard LST-485, he participated in significant combat operations, including the Invasion of Okinawa, and also participated in the post-war evacuation of Chinese refugees fleeing from advancing Communist forces. Following this tour, Robinson served at the headquarters of the Fourth and Twelfth Naval Districts, and served aboard three additional LSTs, before transferring to the destroyer force. [2]

Korean War

In 1949, Robinson reported aboard USS English as chief engineer. While aboard English, Robinson received the first of two Bronze Star Medals, for meritorious service after North Korean shore batteries attacked the ship at Wonson. Upon completing this tour in 1952, Robinson served at the Bureau of Naval Personnel. From 1954 to 1956, Robinson served as executive officer of USS Walker, after which he attended the Armed Forces Staff College. Following his studies, Robinson reported for duty at the assistant head of the Command Policy Section, Strategic Plans Division, within the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. [2]

In 1959, Robinson reported aboard USS Charles Berry, then under construction at the Avondale Yards in Louisiana, as prospective commanding officer, and assumed command upon the ship's commissioning on November 25, 1959. A year later, Robinson served a brief tour of the staff of Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Force, Pacific Fleet, and in December 1960 assumed command of USS Bradford. In January 1962, Robinson returned to Washington for a second tour of duty, this time as Objective Plans Officer, Strategic Plans Division, of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; during this tour, he completed his college education, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences from George Washington University. In August 1964, Robinson returned to the West Coast as Executive Assistant and Aide to the Commander In Chief, Pacific Fleet; during this tour he received the first of two Distinguished Service Medals. [2]

Vietnam War

Robinson assumed command of Destroyer Squadron 31 in September 1968. During this tour, he received his second Bronze Star, for leading the squadron during combat operations in Vietnam. In 1969, he returned to Washington for a third time, as a member of the Chairman's Staff Group within the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; during this assignment, he served as the liaison between Admiral Thomas H. Moorer, the then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and President's Assistant for National Security Affairs Henry Kissinger. While serving in this capacity, Robinson received a second Distinguished Service Medal, and in 1970 was promoted to rear admiral; at the time of his promotion, he was one of the youngest flag officers in the Navy, and marked the third time he had been selected for early promotion. Also during this tour, Robinson helped update potential plans for the mining of Haiphong Harbor, first conceived in 1965. In 1971, Robinson returned to sea, taking command of Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla 11 and Commander of the Seventh Fleet Cruisers and Destroyers (COMCRUDESGRUSEVENTHFLEET). [2]

Operation Pocket Money

While heading up Kissinger's military staff in 1969, Robinson had helped to update plans for the blockading or mining of Haiphong Harbor, originally drawn in 1965. The plans became the basis of Operation Pocket Money, which called for the mining of Haiphong Harbor and a naval gunfire attack of the Do Son Peninsula. On May 8, 1972, President Richard Nixon ordered Pocket Money executed. [3]

Death

In anticipation of the execute order for Pocket Money, Robinson flew with his chief of staff, Captain Edmund Taylor Jr.; Operations Officer, Commander John M. Leaver, Jr.; and Aviation Officer, Commander M.L. "Marty" McCullough, from his flagship, USS Providence to USS Coral Sea, for an air and surface attack coordination meeting with Rear Admiral Damon W. Cooper, Commander, Attack Carrier Striking Force, Seventh Fleet. Later that evening, as the helicopter was attempting to land aboard Providence with the four men aboard, an engine failure caused it to crash into the Gulf of Tonkin. Robinson was recovered, but pronounced dead aboard the ship. McCullough survived the crash, along with the helicopter's crew; Taylor and Leaver were never found. [3] Robinson's memorial cross is located in Arlington National Cemetery, Section MF, Site 30-5. [4] Robinson was survived by his wife, Joan, and his children. [3]

Awards

Robinson's awards include:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leon A. Edney</span>

Leon Albert "Bud" Edney is a former United States Navy officer. A native of Dedham, Massachusetts, he retired from the Navy as an admiral and served as vice chief of naval operations for the United States Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel E. Barbey</span> United States Navy admiral

Vice Admiral Daniel Edward Barbey was an officer in the United States Navy who served in World War I and World War II. A graduate of the Naval Academy, he participated in the 1912 United States occupation of Nicaragua and the 1915 United States occupation of Veracruz. While serving with the War Plans Section of the Bureau of Navigation in Washington, D.C. between the World Wars, developed an interest in amphibious warfare. In 1940 he produced Fleet Training Publication 167 – Landing Operations Doctrine, United States Navy, which would become the Navy's "bible" of amphibious operations, and would remain in use throughout World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William VanMeter Alford Jr.</span>

Rear Admiral William VanMeter Alford Jr. was the chief of staff for the United States Pacific Command between August 2004 and September 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William F. Bringle</span>

Admiral William Floyd Bringle was a senior officer in the United States Navy. He was the first commanding officer of USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), commanded the United States Seventh Fleet from 1967 to 1970 during the Vietnam War, and as commander, United States Naval Forces Europe from 1971 to 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy L. Johnson</span> American Four-star admiral

Roy Lee Johnson was a highly decorated four-star Admiral in the United States Navy. A Naval Academy graduate, he trained as Naval aviator and distinguished himself as Air Group Commander during several World War II campaigns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony L. Cothron</span>

Rear Admiral Tony Lee Cothron was the Director of Intelligence for the Chief of Naval Operations and the 62nd Director of Naval Intelligence. He is currently a professor at Liberty University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waldemar F. A. Wendt</span>

Waldemar Frederick August Wendt was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as commander in chief of United States Naval Forces Europe from 1968 to 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ephraim P. Holmes</span>

Ephraim Paul Holmes was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as commander in chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic from 1967 to 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Metcalf III</span> United States admiral

Joseph Metcalf III was a United States Navy vice admiral. He graduated from Vermont Academy in 1946 and then from the Naval Academy in 1951 and retired from active duty in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lowell E. Jacoby</span> Director of the Defence Intelligence Agency

Vice Admiral Lowell Edwin Jacoby, USN was the 14th director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Previously he was Director for Intelligence (J-2) Joint Staff in the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1999 to 2002, and the Director of Naval Intelligence and commander, Office of Naval Intelligence from 1997 to 1999. He was the Director for Intelligence, U.S. Pacific Command from 1994 to 1997 and Commander, Joint Intelligence Center, Pacific from 1992 to 1994. He was Assistant Chief of Staff, Intelligence, U.S. Pacific Fleet from 1990 to 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel Perez Jr.</span> United States admiral

Samuel Perez Jr. is a retired rear admiral in the United States Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donald B. Beary</span>

Donald Bradford Beary was a vice admiral of the United States Navy. His career included service in both World War I and World War II and a tour as President of the Naval War College. He commanded a wide variety of ships and organizations, and is particularly noted for his leadership during World War II in establishing and directing a large-scale U.S. Navy training program and for his pioneering and highly successful work as a commander of U.S. Navy underway replenishment forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard L. Austin</span> United States Navy Vice Admiral

Bernard Lige Austin was a Vice Admiral of the United States Navy. His career included service in World War II, the Korean War, and the Cold War and command of submarines and surface ship forces, during which he became a distinguished combat commander of destroyers. He also commanded the United States Second Fleet, held numerous diplomatic, educational, and administrative staff positions, and a served a lengthy tour of duty as President of the Naval War College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles L. Melson</span>

Charles Leroy Melson was a vice admiral of the United States Navy. His career included service in World War II, the Korean War, and the Cold War, command of the United States First Fleet and of the United States Taiwan Defense Command, and tours of duty as Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy and President of the Naval War College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julien J. LeBourgeois</span>

Julien Johnson LeBourgeois was a vice admiral of the United States Navy. His career included service in World War II, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War, duty aboard and command of cruisers and destroyers, various planning and staff assignments, and a tour as President of the Naval War College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James R. Stark</span>

James R. Stark is a retired rear admiral of the United States Navy who served during the Cold War and in the Vietnam War and oversaw operations related to the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s. A surface warfare officer, his career included command of ships at sea, senior U.S. Navy and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) commands, staff assignments with the Chief of Naval Operations and the National Security Council, and a tour as President of the Naval War College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emmett Hulcy Tidd</span>

Vice Admiral Emmett Hulcy Tidd was a flag officer of the United States Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Clarey</span> American rear admiral

Stephen Scott Clarey is a retired United States Navy rear admiral who commanded the U.S. Maritime Prepositioning Force during Operation Desert Shield and the Pacific Fleet/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade Amphibious Task Force during Operation Desert Storm. He retired from the navy in August 1992 after thirty years of service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lynne C. Quiggle</span> American naval officer (1906–1958)

Lynne Cline Quiggle was a rear admiral of the United States Navy. He saw service in World War II and in the Cold War before he was lost at sea in 1958.

Stanley Thomas Counts was a United States Navy admiral whose Cold War military service extended through the Korean War and Vietnam War.

References

  1. ↑ Rosenberg, Matthew; Kakaraug, Haris (5 August 2014). "U.S. General Is Killed in Attack at Afghan Base, Officials Say". The New York Times . Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Rear Admiral R.C. Robinson" . Retrieved 2014-04-21.
  3. 1 2 3 Robinson, John G. "Pounding the Do Son Peninsula" (PDF). Naval Institute Proceedings. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  4. ↑ "Rembrandt Cecil Robinson". Arlington National Cemetery. Retrieved 2014-04-21.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.