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Bantam Legion Honors WWII Major Robert Eastman
When Mark William Brown of Litchfield thinks of his uncle, Robert Eastman, he sometimes finds it hard to believe that this quiet and private person was an aggressive officer in the Field Artillery in World War II who, while serving under General George Patton, received two field promotions for his outstanding service to the Second Corps and the Seventh Army.
Eastman will be honored on Saturday, February 1 as the February 2003 Veteran of the Month by Tyler-Seward-Kubish Post 44 American Legion of Bantam. The 10 a.m. service will be held at the All Wars Memorial on Route 202 in Bantam. Prior to Eastman’s honoring, the flag of the January honoree, Civil War Army veteran Andrew McGurk, will be retired.
Following the service, a tribute will be offered at the Bantam Borough Hall to the Four Chaplains who gave their lives on the transport "Dorchester" when it was torpedoed on February 3, 1943 off the coast of Greenland. The Four Chaplains are credited with saving over 200 lives before giving up their own and going down with the Dorchester.
Robert Eastman was one of the first to go when the draft was instituted prior to the start of World War II, and he served until late 1945. He entered the Army in Washington, DC. Following his basic training he attended and then graduated from the Army’s Cooks and Bakers School. He was later assigned to the Field Artillery, where his responsibilities included overseeing the motorized aspect of the Artillery.
Because of his excellent performance, he was send to Officer’s Training School, where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. His unit was sent to the European Theater of Operations where it participated in military operations with General Patton’s Second Corps in North Africa, Italy, France, and later in Germany with the Seventh Army. During this time he received field promotions to First Lieutenant and then to Captain. After his discharge he continued his military service in the Army Reserve, and at the time of his retirement held the rank of Major.
Robert Eastman was born on October 26, 1914 in Washington, DC, the son of Robert Francis and Mary Beal Eastman. He attended schools in Washington and graduated from George Washington University in 1936 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture. Eastman was a quiet and private person; he and his wife Betty were looked up to and regarded for their attitudes of helping others, doing what is right, and not seeking recognition. After working for several years for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he retired and spent his time painting and occasionally doing building projects. He died at age 79 on February 2, 1994 while living in Chevy Chase, MD. He is buried in Front Royal, VA and is survived by several nieces and nephews, including Mark William Brown of Litchfield.
The Veteran of the Month program honors deceased veterans, those POWs and MIAs still unaccounted for, and certain Merchant Mariners who served in battle areas during World II. If the deceased’s burial flag is not available, the Post will provide a flag for the honoring service and the period of honoring. Information for honoring a veteran may be obtained by calling Art St. John at 860-567-0607. Honorings are now being scheduled for the latter part of 2003 and 2004.
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