Alaska Highway. Executive Officer and Regimental Commander.
Born: 22 June 1895, Massachusetts. Died: 4 March 1968, Albany, Dougherty, GA. Buried: Crown Hill Cemetery, Dougherty, GA.
He graduated at a college/university with an engineering degree. He completed the National Guard Officer Course in 1929.
The 1943 National Guard Register for Lionel E. Robinson.
pvt sgt 1sgt Engrs 27 Apr 1927 to 11 Jul 1927 – 2 lt Engrs 12 Jul 1927 capt 19 Mar 1928 maj 12 June 1935
Federal pvt CE 15 Jul 1918 to 27 June 1919–maj CE 25 Nov 1940 AUS lt col 22 May 41 col 11 Dec 1942
1940-1941 Roster of Florida National Guard officers – 106th Engr (combat) Hqt Apalachicola – Lt. Col. James P Coombs. Hgt 2nd BN – Haines City Major Lionel E. Robinson.
1941-1942 Lionel E. Robinson, National Guard Service State FL 106th Engr. Lt. Col. 20 May 1941, Col 11 Dec 1942.
Lt. Col. Robinson, Exec Officer, with the segregated 97th Engineer Regiment landed in Valdez, Alaska on 29 April 1942. Three feet of snow covered the ground. The 97th Engineers built the northern section of the Alaska Highway.
From April 1942 to July 1942, the Regimental Commander was Colonel Stephen Whipple. In July of 1942, Lt. Col. Lionel E. Robinson assumed command of the regiment until January 1943 when Lt. Col Charles F. Mitchim took command.
Twichell, Northwest Epic, page 211 “…Colonel Whipple was a fussy, plodding nitpicker who lacked rapport with his troops. Following a mid-July visit to the 97th’s sector by Generals Hoge and Sturdevant, Whipple was relieved of his command…Lt. Colonel Lionel E. Robinson, a reserve officer with years of experience as a civilian contractor, took over the regiment.”
Serial # O-248029