William Leslie Robinson was born on April 7, 1914, in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. He was the son of Hanson Robinson Sr. and Elizabeth Clark Leftwich Robinson. He was the husband of Elizabeth Lee "Betty" Lombard Elkins. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of 1937. He began his Army career as a company officer with the 29th Infantry at Fort Benning. In February 1940, he moved to the Philippines, where he took command of a company in the 45th Infantry, Philippine Scouts, at Fort McKinley. He was promoted to captain that September.

On August 4, 1941, William became an assistant intelligence officer of the 45th Infantry and was assigned to Cebu City as an instructor with the Philippine Army until November. He was then appointed Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3, for the Visayan-Mindanao Force under Major General William F. Sharp. Promoted to major in December 1941 and lieutenant colonel in March 1943, he served on General Sharp’s staff until the surrender of all U.S. and Philippine forces following Corregidor’s fall.

After the surrender, William was imprisoned at the Davao Penal Colony on Mindanao, where he surprisingly found his belongings and even his Philippine orderly waiting for him. While there, he persuaded his Japanese captors to allow a “West Point reunion dinner” on March 17, a tradition he claimed to uphold and even arranged for his men to watch a Western film and enjoy chocolate ice cream sodas, gestures remembered by fellow POWs. In June 1944, William and other able prisoners were transferred to Bilibid Prison on Luzon, remaining there until December 13, when they were loaded onto the Oryoku Maru bound for Japan. The ship was sunk by U.S. aircraft near shore; about 700 survivors, including Robby, swam to safety and were recaptured. After surviving the Oryoku Maru sinking, William and other prisoners were moved to San Fernando Prison on Luzon, then loaded onto the Enoura Maru, which was bombed in Takao Harbor, Formosa, on January 9, 1945. He survived that attack but was later transferred to the Brazil Maru on January 12. Although the ship was not bombed, he died on January 21, 1945, from illness, wounds, and exhaustion during the voyage to Japan.

LTC Robinson's name is memorialized in the Tablets of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines. He also has a cenotaph in the Old Saint David's Church Cemetery, Wayne, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, USA.

Silver Star Citation:
(Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry) William Leslie Robinson (ASN: 0-20772), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 45th Infantry Regiment (Philippine Scouts) and the Visayan Force at Mindanao, Philippine Islands in 1942 and 1943. The gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty demonstrated by Lieutenant Colonel Robinson, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, alumni.westpointaog.org, valor.militarytimes.com