Alan Robinson

Three Generations of Warriors: the Argonne Trenches, the Flying Tigers and the Skies of Vietnam Alan Robinson

When America fought its major wars of the twentieth century, three generations of Robinsons did their part. In the brutal trenches of the Argonne Forest during World War I, Ernest Robinson, a private from Alabama, fought on 174 consecutive days, earning the Medal of Valor. Miraculously, he escaped uninjured. Ernest's son, Len, a freshman at Troy State University when he heard about Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, joined the U. S. Army, eventually becoming a bombardier with Chennault's Flying Tigers in China. He flew ninety-one missions in the B-24 without injury, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross. During his freshman year at Georgia State, Len's son Alan decided to join the Army. Eventually he became a pilot, flying the Mohawk on intelligence-gathering missions in Vietnam. When his plane was attacked, he sustained injuries to his leg, and he was forced to eject. Alan was awarded the Purple Heart. In a fast-moving narrative, Three Generations of Warriors not only gives us an account of exciting military experiences, but it also allows us to glimpse into the backgrounds that produced these three remarkable men.