Wallace H. Robinson Jr.

Lieutenant General Wallace H. Robinson, Jr. was born on February 11, 1920 in Washington, DC where he graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1936. There being no congressional representation of the District, he was unable to apply for an appointment to any of the military academies. He attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute and enrolled in the ROTC program, graduating in 1940 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. He was commissioned a Marine Corps second lieutenant in June 1940.

After completing The Basic School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in February 1941, he attended the Base Weapons Course, Marine Corps School, Quantico, Virginia, and on graduation in June 1941, joined 5th Defense Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina.

While serving overseas during World War II in the Second Defense Battalion, 2nd Marine Brigade, Fleet Marine Force (FMF), he rose from lieutenant to major, participating in the occupation and defense of Samoan, Wallis, and Ellice Islands. During this period, he served variously as platoon, battery and group commander in artillery and automatic weapons organizations. In November 1943, still with the Second Defense Battalion, but attached to the 2nd Marine Division, he was in the first wave of the assault on Tarawa and was among the marines organized by then Colonel Shoup to push inland to capture the island. He later served in the Gilbert Islands, as Executive Officer, Betio Groupment and in Kauai, as Executive, then Commanding Officer of the Second Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion until returning to the United States in October.

In 1945, after nine months in the United States assigned as an instructor, then Director of the Officers Antiaircraft Artillery School at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. He returned to the Pacific and served briefly as Assistant G-4, Headquarters, FMF, Pacific, in Hawaii. He was transferred to Northern China as Executive Officer, then Commanding Officer, 1st Separate Engineer Battalion, III Amphibious Corps, FMF, where he directed major construction projects throughout the III Amphibious Corps area, incident to the occupation of Peking, Tientsin, and other cities in that area. It was in Tientsin that he met his wife, Irene Renee.

Bringing his battalion back to the United States in August 1946, he subsequently was assigned as the Base Engineer and Maintenance Officer, Camp Pendleton, California, then the largest base in the Marine Corps. Moving to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, in 1947, he served as Base Maintenance Officer until October 1949 when, after promotion to lieutenant colonel, he returned to Headquarters, Marine Corps, Washington, D. C., where he assumed duties as Assistant Director of the Utilities and Public Works Division, Supply Department.

At the onset of the Korean War in 1950, he was assigned as Officer in Charge, Marine Corps Coastal Survey Team #1, directing surveys of the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia, and returned to the United States in his former billet at Headquarters Marine Corps in late 1951. He was then selected for assignment to the Industrial College of the Armed Force. Upon graduation there from in 1959, he was named Special Assistant to the Quartermaster General of the Marine Corps until March 1962, when he was selected to serve as a member of the Secretary of the Navy's Planning Staff for review of the Management of the Department of Navy.

Later, he was assigned to the 3rd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, on Okinawa as Commanding Officer, 3d Force Service Regiment. In 1964, he returned to the United States for Duty as Chief of Staff, Marine Corps Supply Activity, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

General Robinson was promoted to brigadier general on March 14, 1966, on which date he assumed command of the Supply Activity. While serving in that assignment, he directed the design and implementation of the first large scale computerized inventory system MUMS. On August 1, 1967, he was promoted to Major General.

Detached in January 1969, General Robinson moved to Headquarters Marine Corps where he assumed duty as the twentieth Quartermaster General of the Marine Corps on March 1, 1969. He received his third star upon assuming duties as Director, Defense Supply Agency, Cameron Station, Alexandria, Virginia, on August 1, 1971, the only Marine officer to hold this position. He was placed on the retired list on January 1, 1976, but was returned to active duty without interruption of service as Special Assistant to Commandant of the Marine Corps until February 11, 1976.

During the Ford Administration, General Robinson served as the Commissioner of the Federal Supply Service of the General Services Administration.

He served as President of the National Security Industrial Association from 1977 to 1991.

In addition to his engineering degree, General Robinson earned a degree of Master of Business Administration from George Washington University and was a registered civil and industrial engineer and an architect.

He also became an accomplished artist who studied at the Philadelphia College of Arts and a number of his paintings were sold at charity auctions.

He was also an excellent golfer and longtime member and Board member of the Army Navy Country Club.

He is survived by his daughter Christine Robinson Trapnell of Falls Church, Virginia, two grandchildren William Todd Robins Trapnell and Andrea ReneeTrapnell-Chretien and two great grandchildren Amaury Hall and Tatiana Sara Chretien

General Robinson will be buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. The family asks that contributions in lieu of flowers be made to the Fisher House Foundation. At 111 Rockville Pike #420 in Rockville, Md. 20850.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

As printed in the Washington Post:

Lt. Gen. WALLACE H.

ROBINSON, JR.

On Saturday, August 17, 2013. Lt. Gen. Wallace H. Robinson, Jr., USMC (Ret.) of Washington, DC; husband of the late Irene Renee Robinson; father of Christine Robinson Trapnell (Gordon); grandfather of Andrea Trapnell-Cretien (Christophe) and William Todd Trapnell (Katie); great-grandfather of Tatiana Sara Cretien and Amaury Hall Cretien. Relatives and friends are invited to call at Joseph Gawler's Sons, 5130 Wisconsin Ave. NW (corner of Harrison St.) Washington, DC on Saturday, September 14, from 10 to 11 a.m. followed by Service at 11 a.m. Interment with full military honors will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to Fisher House Foundation, 111 Rockville Pike, # 420, Rockville, MD 20850.