Emmet Ray Robison
1923-2006
Emmet Ray & Lila Mae Clark Robison
Emmet Ray Robison was born February 13, 1923 in Jenny Lind, Sebastian Co., Ar. to
Walter Ray & Alta Ruth Myers Robison. March 8, 1945 he married
Lila Mae Clark of Jenny Lind. His residence at that time South
Fort Smith, Sebastian Co., Ar. February 2, 1959 they divorced in Sebastian Co., Ar.
She is mentioned in his obiturary as wife.
Emmet registered for the military draft June 30, 1942 at Fort Smith,Sebastian
Co., Ar. His residence at that time was Jenny Lind, Sebastian Co., Ar. November
28, 1942 he enlisted in the US Navy and served until June 11, 1945. Some of
his muster records are below. At the bottom of his page is the story of the
USS Birmingham from the time he came aboard till he was wounded.
There is also a muster record from the USS Samaritan,
a hospital ship, from the time he was wounded in battle. It's rare to find a
record that shows all the battles a veteran was in.
Emmet Ray Robison passed away October 26, 2006 at Fort Smith, Sebastian Co.,
Ar. His burial was in Jenny Lind Cemetery in Jenny Lind Arkansas.
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From Wikipedia
USS Birmingham
1943
(Muster for the month of April 1943 above shows Emmet has boarded the USS
Birmingham from Norfolk, Va)
Following her shakedown cruise, Birmingham was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet.
Departing Norfolk, Virginia on 7 June, she steamed to the Mediterranean and gave
gunfire support during the invasion of Sicily (10-26 July 1943). Returning to
the United States on 8 August, she was reassigned to the Pacific Fleet and
arrived at Pearl Harbor on 6 September.
Joining the fast carrier task force screen, she took part in the raids on Tarawa
(18 September 1943) and Wake Island (5-6 October). At the Solomons, she took
part in the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay (8-9 November), along with her sister
ships Cleveland, Columbia, Montpelier, and Denver. This was the first major
action by the new Cleveland-class light cruisers that were entering the fleet.
Birmingham's gunners shot down at least four enemy Japanese aircraft. During
the daytime, Japanese planes hit Birmingham with two bombs and a torpedo. The
ship's casualties included two killed and 34 wounded. The hits kept her out of
the night surface battle with the Imperial Japanese Navy fleet that followed.
Birmingham retired to Mare Island Navy Yard for repairs which lasted until 18
February 1944, when she rejoined the Pacific Fleet.
1944
(Muster for October 27, 1944 - he is on board USS Samaritan, a hospital
ship - see the battle of Leyte on October 24 )
Assigned to Task Force 58 (TF 58), she took part in the Battle of Saipan (14
June - 4 August); the Battle of the Philippine Sea (19-20 June); Battle of
Tinian (20 July - 1 August); Battle of Guam (21 July); and Philippine Islands
raids (9-24 September). She then served with TF 38 during the Okinawa raid
(10 October), northern Luzon and Formosa raids (15 October and 18-19 October), and
the Battle of Leyte Gulf (24 October). During the latter, she suffered great
topside damage from explosions on board the aircraft carrier Princeton while
courageously attempting to aid that stricken vessel. 239 men died, 408 were
wounded, and the bodies of four were never recovered.
Birmingham earned eight battle stars, receiving heavy damage on at least three
occasions.
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