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Bob Armstrong

 

Date and Place of Birth: 1916 Gloversville, NY
Date and Place of Death:    February 21, 1945 Coblenz, Germany
Baseball Experience: Amateur
Position: Second Base
Rank: Sergeant
Military Unit: 80th Infantry Division US Army
Area Served: European Theater of Operations

Robert L. "Bob" Armstrong was born in Gloversville, New York in 1916, and attended Gloversville High School where he was an outstanding baseball player. "Bob Armstrong, diminutive keystone sacker," reported the Gloversville Morning Herald on April 30, 1932, following a game between Gloversville High and Ballston Spa, "...displayed first rate ability, covering his'position in great style. Armstrong handled six without an error."

Armstrong worked for the N.M. Chase Glove Company in Gloversville and played baseball and softball for numerous city teams. He played softball with Pedricks in 1935, Thyne's Drug Store Cowboys in 1936 and the Gloversville Leaguers in 1937. In 1941, he was co-captain of the Gloversville All-Stars team.

He entered military service on April 30, 1942. After completing basic training he was assigned to a field artillery unit before joining an anti-aircraft battery. Having been stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Camp Stewart, Georgia, Camp Gordon, Georgia and Camp Meade, Maryland, he was sent to Europe as part of an infantry replacement pool in January 1945.

Sergeant Armstrong was assigned to the 80th Infantry Division. He was killed in action at Coblenz, Germany on February 21, 1945. Robert Armstrong was survived by his widow, Rosemary, and young son, Bruce.

Sources:
Gloversville Morning Herald, April 30, 1932
Gloversville Morning Herald, May 5, 1932
Gloversville Morning Herald, September 4, 1935
Gloversville Morning Herald, July 23, 1936
Gloversville and Johnstown Leader-Republican, August 14, 1937
Gloversville and Johnstown Leader-Republican, August 29, 1941
Gloversville and Johnstown Leader-Republican, March 9, 1945
Gloversville and Johnstown Morning Herald, March 10, 1945
Gloversville and Johnstown Morning Herald, March 15, 1945

Date Added: May 13, 2013

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