Pfc Robert Andrew Chesnut was born August 9, 1921, at the home in Nodaway County, near Clearmont, Mo. where he lived until he was 20 years old, at which time he was inducted into the United States Army August 3, 1943. He first had eight weeks of basic training at Camp Callan, San Diego, Calif. then he was transferred to Fort Lawton, Wash. from there being shipped to Kodiak Island, Alaska, serving eighteen months here. On April 21, 1944, he was transferred back to the States to Fort Bliss, Texas. At this time he spent a twenty-day furlough with home folks, this being the first furlough the soldier had had since entering the army. On June 21, 1944, he received a ten-day furlough.

He was in the anti-aircraft search light division until November 1, 1944, when he was transferred to the infantry and sent to Camp Maxey, Texas. He had six weeks of training here and the middle of December he was shipped to Fort George Meade, Md, from here going to New York and sailed for Europe. On January 21, 1945, he was assigned to the First Army and the First Division.

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