The Story of Robert (Bob) Egler through Letters

[eaglerunner88]

I picked up a small letter grouping named to Pvt. Robert (Bob) Egler from Rockford, Illinois. This first letter is written by him to his folks on May 1, 1943 while at Fort Riley, Kansas, though the stationary is from Fort Sheridan, Illinois where he just traveled from. He asks how everybody is doing at home and that he's feeling fine. He goes on to say that the army classification put him as driving a truck or jeep, and he hopes for the latter.

[eaglerunner88]

While still at Fort Riley, Rob writes home to his mother on May 10, 1943 (Mother's Day). He opens with, "To the sweetest mother in the world...I hope you have a son for a long time and I a mother."

[eaglerunner88]

Rob eventually finds himself overseas as a member of G Company, 182nd Infantry Regiment, 23rd Infantry Division (Americal). Now as a sergeant, he earns the Silver Star on Bougainville on October 1st, 1944. His citation states that he "displayed outstanding leadership when the spirit of his men began to waver after suffering heavy casualties. Arming himself with the automatic weapon of one of his men...he resumed the advance so aggressively that he and his rejuvenated men were able to break the backbone of enemy resistance and secured the enemy positions while inflicting numerous casualties on the enemy." 

 

 

(GO No. 167 and first two photos from https://www.182ndinfantry.org)

[eaglerunner88]

The men of the Americal Division saw some of their heaviest fighting on Bougainville throughout 1944. In January 1945, they left for Leyte in the Philippines to continue the fight. By February, the men were up against heavy Japanese resistance while hunting the enemy. On March 4th-5th, Rob and the rest of Company G met very stiff resistance while fighting in the hills of Leyte.

 

Just a couple days before this, on March 2nd, 1945 Rob's mother writes him a letter. She mentions that, "We have been watching the paper for any news about you, but the last we saw was where the Americal Division invaded Capul Island, and we think you are there...hope it won't be long until you can come home, so be careful until then."

 

Though she didn't know it yet, Rob was sadly killed on March 4th while fighting in those hills on Leyte, just two days after she wrote him that letter. It's almost like her mother's instinct knew something was about to happen. This is the envelope for the letter above, with the dreaded "return to sender" stamp.

 

   

In the very bottom left corner, you can partially read "Deceased" written by Captain John Murphy who was Rob's company commander. It looks like they got along swell as seen in this photo of Rob lighting his cigarette taken earlier on Bougainville in 1944.

 

[eaglerunner88]

One of the men of Company G kept a little handwritten list of 53 members of the unit that were killed in action, with Rob Egler among them. Though surprisingly, Rob is still officially marked as missing in action. 

(Photo from https://www.182ndinfantry.org)

[jumpship]

Thank you for sharing these letters, photos and other information about him.

 

In case you have not seen this, he received a Posthumous Bronze Star Medal for his actions on Leyte:

 

Also, his CIB orders:

Source: NARA

 

Dan

[dpast32]

OUTSTANDING, & Quite Poignant Paper Group !! Such are the things we can sink our teeth into, so to speak !!

 

           Best,     Dom P.

[stratasfan]

Thanks for posting this. An amazing story, well presented. I think the most moving thing is seeing the picture of Rob with Capt. Murphy. While we so often pay attention to the KIA service member, this really makes that little signature under "deceased" real. How sad for the buddy who had to return to the letter to a mother he had probably heard all about.

[ShibaLegend]

Sad but moving story, and presented in such a beautiful way.

 

It's a shame so many of these stories are forgotten or haven't been pieced together.

[eaglerunner88]

@jumpship thanks so much for those scanned documents to further add to Rob's story! I did not know about the posthumous bronze star. Amazing citation to a true hero. And thanks for the comments everyone. Also, what luck that a site existed specific to Company G!

 

https://www.182ndinfantry.org

 

As seen, he was from Rockford, IL and that's where I found these letters in an antique store, all being sold individually. Very happy to have kept them together. The mother's day letter is truly gut wrenching after knowing what was to come just two years later. 

 

I thought it even more poignant to post these on the anniversary of his death.