This is a story about the life of Cecil Robinson, a World War II veteran.  Cecil was born on March 18, 1926.  He was the son of Jake and Lizzy Hall Robinson.  He was born and raised in the Double Island Community of Yancey County, NC.  Back in those days, people raised big families.  Cecil’s was no different.  He had seven brothers and four sisters.  They were raised on a farm where they provided almost all of their own food.

 

           When Cecil turned eighteen years old, he joined the army to be with three of his older brothers in the war.  His brother, Lawrence, was drafted in 1939.  His brother, Fred, was drafted in 1942.  Eugene was drafted in 1944, and Cecil enlisted that same year.  Eugene and Cecil went through boot camp together at Fort Bragg, NC.  Cecil did his training in the tank division at Fort Knots, KY.  He received awards for sharp shooting there.  He went from there to Japan.  While in Japan, he was a supply Sergeant, which is one who hands out food and clothes.  Cecil’s unit did not see any casualties, they were only there to clean up after the atomic bombs in Iwo Jima, and Nagasaki were dropped.  Cecil says some of his most memorable experiences were seeing Japan after the war.  He said there was nothing left, no homes, no trees, just flat property.

 

           Cecil’s brother, Fred, was killed during the Battle of the Bulge.  Cecil and his other brothers were discharged at Fort Bragg, NC, in 1946.  Cecil was glad to get home and did a lot of visiting afterwards.  He finished high school and went to work in the Kona mines in Mitchell County.  Later, he began to work in construction which was his career for the next twenty-four years. 

 

           Cecil married Louise Howell on March 18, 1948, and had four girls and two boys.  All his children have married and live in Greenville, SC.

 

           Cecil celebrated his  eighty-second birthday on March 18, 2008.  He continues to live life to its fullest by playing musical instruments and dancing.  Cecil says, “I feel the war has made me a better man and I feel for all of the soldiers in Iraq and would like to see them come home to their families.”

 

 

Pages authored  by fifth grade Yancey County Schools Fifth Grade Students

Special thanks to:

 French Broad Electric’s Bright Ideas Grant

Yancey County Schools Foundation Grant

2007—2008