PFC Joseph Earl Robinson (KIA)
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PERSONAL DATA
Home of Record: Sanford, MI
Date of birth: 09/09/1946
MILITARY DATA
Service: Army of the United States
Grade at loss: E3
Rank: Private First Class
ID No: 16825483
MOS: 11B1P: Infantryman (Airborne Qual)
Length Service: 01
Unit: B CO, 2ND BN, 501ST INFANTRY, 101ST ABN DIV, USARV
CASUALTY DATA
Start Tour: 12/13/1967
Incident Date: 03/21/1968
Casualty Date: 03/21/1968
Age at Loss: 21
Location: South Vietnam
Remains: Body recovered
Casualty Type: Hostile, died outright
Casualty Loc: Thua Thien Province, South Vietnam
Casualty Reason: Ground casualty
Casualty Detail: Artillery, rocket, or mortar
Known Awards: Purple Heart
Joseph is honored on Panel 45E, Row 50 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC and is buried at Jerome Township Cemetery in Sanford MI
Joseph is also listed on the Michigan Vietnam Memorial (as J E Robinson) at Island Park in Mt Pleasant, Michigan
Joseph was Killed In Action during the Viet Nam War, along with 3 others in his unit; Daniel Bettencourt, Raymond Mason and Ronald Sadler. Robinson was 21 years old when he died from wounds he received when his base camp 5 KM West of Hue in a night position, came under attack. He was in Vietnam for four months. He served with the B-2/501st Infantry (101st ABN Div). He is honored on Panel 45E, Row 50 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC.
His granite marker has Robinson’s name in black lettering, along with his date of death, the seals of the 101st Airborne Division and the82nd Airborne
Division, and two American flags. The words, “Some Gave All,” KIA.” And “Vietnam” are also written in black.
In October 2007 Representatives from the Sanford American Legion Auxiliary, the Blue Star Mothers of America Chapter 48 of Sanford, the Vietnam Veterans Motorcycle Club, the Forgotten Eagles of Michigan and Sanford American Legion Post 443 were in attendance to place his new marker on his grave. Sanford residents Jim Leigeb and Elliott Levely managed the fund-raising effort, which started in May 2006, to purchase the marker. “He was a brave young man who fought for his country as hard as he could,” Leigeb said. “Unfortunately, it took his life. I know Joe is being honored today the way he should have been in 1968.” Levely, also a Vietnam veteran, remembers Robinson as a tough kid who lived with his family on Smith Street in Sanford. Robinson’s mother died when he was young and his father was an alcoholic. “He was my brother,” Levely said. “We were raised together … he was part of my family and now he is a part of our heritage.”