ROBERT A. PIERCE, LT, USN

From USNA Virtual Memorial Hall
Robert Pierce '28

Date of birth: November 24, 1905

Date of death: September 20, 1937

Age: 31

Lucky Bag

From the 1928 Lucky Bag:

1928 Pierce, R LB.jpg

ROBERT ARCHER PIERCE

Brownsville, Texas

"Bob" "Jefe"

BOB is one of these big, strong, but not silent men from the great open spaces. The Lone Star State must be one big football field, for Bob certainly was varsity stuff when it came to ripping open the line or smashing enemy plays, when the big blue team swung into action.

Jefe made a cruise to Texas while the rest of us were heaving coal on that famous Youngster Cruise to the West Coast. His temporary acclimation must have produced marvelous results, for he returned with an amazing multitude of "Now when I was in Texas on sick leave."

Our Texan always has a good time and the hops are never complete without his husky shoulders crashing through the crowd. His selection of drags is varied but the Plebes have always rated them high and they really were up to par.

Bob has had his troubles with ordnance and math, but when it came to Spanish, he could outdo the profs at their own game. Many a dago sufferer has been enlightened by Bob's expert knowledge of the verbs and nouns as explained in Luce Hall. At the end of football season, Jefe's accumulated periods have kept him busy on liberty afternoons, and now and then he made an occasional cruise on the Reina, but despite these little obstacles, he has always had a grin for everyone and a story that may have sounded doubtful but was mighty entertaining.

Football (4, 3, 2, 1), N (3, 2, 1); Wrestling (3), Interclass Champion (2).

1928 Pierce, R LB.jpg

ROBERT ARCHER PIERCE

Brownsville, Texas

"Bob" "Jefe"

BOB is one of these big, strong, but not silent men from the great open spaces. The Lone Star State must be one big football field, for Bob certainly was varsity stuff when it came to ripping open the line or smashing enemy plays, when the big blue team swung into action.

Jefe made a cruise to Texas while the rest of us were heaving coal on that famous Youngster Cruise to the West Coast. His temporary acclimation must have produced marvelous results, for he returned with an amazing multitude of "Now when I was in Texas on sick leave."

Our Texan always has a good time and the hops are never complete without his husky shoulders crashing through the crowd. His selection of drags is varied but the Plebes have always rated them high and they really were up to par.

Bob has had his troubles with ordnance and math, but when it came to Spanish, he could outdo the profs at their own game. Many a dago sufferer has been enlightened by Bob's expert knowledge of the verbs and nouns as explained in Luce Hall. At the end of football season, Jefe's accumulated periods have kept him busy on liberty afternoons, and now and then he made an occasional cruise on the Reina, but despite these little obstacles, he has always had a grin for everyone and a story that may have sounded doubtful but was mighty entertaining.

Football (4, 3, 2, 1), N (3, 2, 1); Wrestling (3), Interclass Champion (2).

Loss

Robert died from complications following surgery on September 20, 1937 in the Naval Hospital at Canacao, Philippines.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Robert graduated from Brownsville high school in 1923.

He and his wife Frances had two sons: Robert, Jr., born 1931, and Frank, born August, 1933. The family traveled to Honolulu in June, 1935.

Robert’s father Frank C. was an attorney who died in 1918. His mother was Isabel. In 1920, his mother took care of seven children and also housed eight boarders in five bedrooms. Robert had two brothers Major John Pierce and Frank. Robert had four sisters Rachel, Alberta (Mrs. John Merrill) of Brownsville, Florine (Mrs. Robert Faulk) of Glendale and Katharine (Mrs. Charles Reid) of Indianapolis.

He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery and was survived by his widow, Mrs. Frances Kahle Pierce of Brookline, Mass., and at least one child, Frank Cushman Pierce.

Photographs

Memorial Hall Error

Illness is not a criteria for inclusion in Memorial Hall.


Class of 1928

Robert is one of 17 members of the Class of 1928 on Virtual Memorial Hall.

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