Robert
Russell Hammond, my “Uncle Bobby” was the son of a U.S. Army Calvary “Buffalo Soldier.” Uncle
Bobby entered the U.S. Marine Corps as one of nearly 20,0000 African-Americans
who broke the color barrier during World War II. His boot camp was at MonfortPoint Camp, Jacksonville, North Carolina. By May 1943 Bobby found himself in action in
the Pacific until the war’s end when he returned to civilian life. However, in 1948 Bobby was called back to
active duty for the United Nations peacekeeping action known as the Korean
War.
After Korea he continued his
military career by engaging in three
combat tours in Vietnam. Bobby retired
from active duty in August of 1975 as a Master Gunnery Sergeant in the Marine
Corps. In June 2012, Master Gunnery Sergeant/Sergeant Major Robert R. Hammond
received the Congressional Gold Medal. Uncle
Bobby passed away on May 26, 2016 and was buried with full military honors (including a 21 gun salute) at Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery in Cheltenham,
Maryland.
Semper Fidelis - Always Faithful. The U.S. Marine Corps’ motto sums up
the life of Robert Russell Hammond, my “Uncle Bobby” and all Marines who make
the commitment on a daily basis to
protect our country by land, sea and air.
Once a
Marine, Always a Marine. Uncle Bobby in Vietnam 2nd from left
