Robert A. Lane, born January, 1913, in Marietta, Ohio, graduated from The Ohio State University in June, 1934. He entered active duty on December 13, 1940.
Sent directly to Ft. Benning, Georgia, he was assigned to the Second Armored Division. Robert trained in maneuvers in Tennessee, Louisiana and Carolina under the leadership of George S. Patton.
Lt. Lane left his wife and three young children in Frederick, Maryland, and shipped with the Second Armored Division to North Africa, late 1942.
The battle won quickly, the Division settled in the Cork Forest near Rabat in Morocco. They celebrated the 1943 New Year in a land quite foreign to the men.
In May they headed east, preparing to battle in Sicily. Under General Patton, Sicily was liberated in July, 1943. Captain Lane received two stars for his battles in Sicily.
In November, the Division shipped past Gibraltar, entered Great Britain and moved into barracks at Tidworth, England. Their Christmas was not quite so merry in the war worn country.
The Second Armored Division sailed to Normandy, and began tank battles along the hedgerows by June 9. Major Lane fought in the horrific battle of St. Lo.
His unit helped in closing the Falaise Gap. By August, the Second Armored was pushing close to Germany. The month of August was filled with awful battles and a high death rate.
On August 23, 1944, around 1:30 in the afternoon, very neat Conche, France, Major Robert A. Lane was hit by a Nebelwefer rocket. He was killed instantly.
Three small children and a loving wife received the worst telegram on September 10.
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