Robert Blair Campbell (1923 - 1999)

Born 3 Jan 1923 in Herrin, Williamson, Illinois, United States

Ancestors

Died 19 Jun 1999 at age 76 in Alton, Madison, Illinois, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Jennifer Campbell [send private message]

Biography

Robert Campbell served in the United States Navy in World War II
Service started:
Unit(s): USS Shoshone (AKA-65)
Service ended:

Robert was born in 1923. After graduating from high school he attended Southern Illinois Normal School (later SIU-Carbondale) where he earned his degree in mathematics. Upon graduation he joined the U.S. Navy during WWII where he entered officer's training (and more schooling) and grew impatient waiting to be deployed so asked for a demotion which was denied. Finally, the new ship, the USS Shoshone, was completed only to be damaged during exercises soon after being completed. Further delayed by necessary repairs it was finally staffed and off to the South Pacific. He was in charge of a boat group. He told of one harrowing night at Iwo Jima when the boats had been sent out on a mission but the ship had left for waters farther out before his boat (and others) could return so they were left to drift in the waters under cover of darkness. One man was to stay awake and alert as a watchman for danger but had fallen asleep so they were all awakened by their boat crashing against the rocks at the bottom of Mount Suribachi. This was is in the lead up to the attack at Iwo Jima. He rarely spoke of his service, or the war in personal terms, so this was only one of a couple "war stories" he would tell.

After returning from service he attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison, obtaining his Master's and Ph.D. in sociology there. There he met his future wife, Jennie Pope, a sociology major who was also attending school on the G.I. Bill after serving in the USCG during the war. They married during "Finals Week" of her senior year of college. From there he taught at the University of North Dakota at Grand Forks for eleven years. While at UND he and his wife, along with a couple of friends, scraped together enough money to purchase a couple of lots nearby in Minnesota to build a cabin for the family to enjoy for years. A labor of love built with their own hands that was always considered "home" no matter where else they may live. From UND he went to Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville in 1962, arriving to teach before the new campus was entirely built. At that time they made Alton, Illinois their home, for at least the school year, until death.

He passed away in 1999. His body was donated to science, per his wishes, so he is not buried with his parents but that is where his military marker is placed.

^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Personal recollection of events witnessed by J.a, Campbell as remembered 26 Apr 2020.

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X394-C3Y : accessed 6 June 2022), Robert Campbell in household of Charles W Campbell, Herrin, Williamson, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 1, sheet 10A, line 14, family 243, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 570; FHL microfilm 2,340,305.
• "Illinois, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPW7-R7ZD : Sun Mar 10 04:22:34 UTC 2024), Entry for Robert Blair Campbell and Student, 26 June 1942.
• "United States Census, 1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KWTQ-S9B : Sat Mar 09 03:21:30 UTC 2024), Entry for Charles Cambell and Edith Cambell, 1940.
• "United States 1950 Census", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6FMT-C582 : Tue Mar 19 16:39:57 UTC 2024), Entry for Robert B Campbell, 17 April 1950.
• "United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6KQC-RMN4 : 10 February 2023), Robert Blair Campbell, .
• "Find a Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV21-RGJH : 16 June 2020), Robert Blair Campbell, 1999; Burial, , ; citing record ID , Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.