THE WALL OF FACES

Robert Earl Baldwin was born April 12, 1944 in Kentucky, but had resided in Cleburne, Texas nine years before entering the Army. He served with 3-506th 101st Airborne. He was a Currahee!

He was survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hoyt Baldwin and a sister, Barbara.

Robert was killed in Vietnam on February 6, 1968 in the battle of Phu Bon Hamlet, along with Paul Harold Cline, 20, of West Palm Beach, Florida. (This information from "The Stand Alone Battalion" by Jerald Berry and Joe Alexander.)

Robert is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Cleburne, Texas: Section B Lot 28 Space 4

God Rest your soul, Currahee!

I was there the day he died. I won't go into specifics in case one of his loved ones reads this. He was one of my two closest friends in the outfit - him and Lucky Archuleta. Bob was just a good, down-to-earth, solid individual. Somebody you'd want for a brother. I think I remember his girlfriend or wife, can't remember which, talking him into joining and then volunteering for Nam. The day I arrived from the 82nd Airborne, Bob and I arrived at Fort Campbell together. We spent that night in the barracks alone (C/3/506 was already in the field) and the next morning we were airlifted into the back hills of Kentucky and dropped into the woods to play the part of gooks against the rest of the Division. Bob and I spent a couple days running and hiding. I was captured. I don't recall Bob being captured though. I miss him. He was a good friend. I visited his parents in Cleburne after I got back "to the world" three months later. I visited his grave and his parents were still in disbelief eventhough his letters had stopped coming to them. They grieved so.

Robert, Brown and myself were together side by side all the was through until that final fight that took Robert's life. Brown always covered Robert [The gunner] from snipers and I always tried to cover him from RPGs. Before Robert got killed I got hit real bad and I was not able to be there to cover him. I found out later that right after I was hit, Robert was killed. I have wished a million times that I could have been there to cover him. Maybe he would be here also.

I served with Robert Earl in the 3rd Battalion (Airborne), 506th Infantry (Currahees), 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Robert was killed on February 6, 1968, during the Battle at Phu Bon Hamlet. Robert was a fine paratrooper and soldier. He was well liked and respected by his fellow troopers in 3rd Platoon, Company C.

If any family member reads this remembrance, please contact me at: [email protected] or leave a post on our website: www.currahee.org. We have a message for you.