United States Army general
Robert Frederick Sink
(April 3, 1905 ? December 13, 1965) was a senior
United States Army
officer
who fought during
World War II
and the
Korean War
, though he was most famous for his command of the
506th Parachute Infantry Regiment
, part of the
101st Airborne Division
, throughout most of World War II, in
France
,
the Netherlands
, and
Belgium
.
Early career
[
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]
Sink attended
Duke University
(then known as Trinity College) for one year before securing an appointment to the
United States Military Academy
. He graduated 174th in West Point's 203-member class of 1927 (Cullum Number 8196). Commissioned as an Infantry officer,
[1]
Second Lieutenant
Sink was assigned to the
8th Infantry Regiment
in
Fort Screven
,
Georgia
.
Sink later took assignments in
Puerto Rico
(1929,
65th Infantry Regiment
), at the
Army Chemical Warfare School
(1932), at
Fort Meade
(1932),
34th Infantry Regiment
, with the
Civilian Conservation Corps
(1933) at
McAlevys Fort, Pennsylvania
, and returned to the 34th Infantry Regiment before heading off to attend the
United States Army Infantry School
at
Fort Benning
,
Georgia
(1935).
In November 1937, after assignment to the
57th Infantry Regiment
at
Fort William McKinley
in the
Philippines
, Sink returned to the United States and was assigned to the
25th Infantry Regiment
at
Fort Huachuca
,
Arizona
, where he served as
company
commander
and then as
regimental
operations
officer
.
World War II
[
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]
In 1940, Sink was assigned to the
501st Parachute Infantry Battalion
at
Fort Benning
. He became one of the four percent of the army's paratroopers qualified as a
master parachutist
and celebrated his birthday each year by making another jump.
Sink later commanded the
503rd Parachute Infantry Battalion
and (later) Regiment. In July 1942, he was named as
commander
of the
506th Parachute Infantry Regiment
at
Camp Toccoa
,
Georgia
;
Fort Benning
,
Georgia
; and
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
. Sink commanded the 506th throughout World War II, turning down two promotions during the war to remain with the unit.
[2]
(The regiment was sometimes referred to as the "Five-Oh-Sink".) He closely monitored and sponsored the career of Major
Richard Winters
.
[3]
He made two combat jumps in command of the 506th (
D-Day
and
Operation Market Garden
), and commanded the regiment at
Bastogne
during the
Battle of the Bulge
.
Postwar career
[
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]
On August 12, 1945, Sink was named assistant division commander of the
101st Airborne Division
. In December 1945, Sink returned to the United States, and the following month assumed command of the infantry detachment of the
United States Military Academy
. He entered the
National War College
at
Fort Lesley J. McNair
in
Washington, D.C.
in August 1948, graduating in June 1949. Sink then was transferred to the Ryukyus Command, and became
chief of staff
in October 1949. In January 1951, he was named assistant division commander of the
7th Infantry Division
in
Korea
.
Sink returned to the United States and became assistant division commander of the
11th Airborne Division
at
Fort Campbell
,
Kentucky
, in December 1951. In February 1953, he assumed command at the
7th Armored Division
at
Camp Roberts, California
. In November 1953, he became commanding general of the
44th Infantry Division
at
Fort Lewis
,
Washington
. In October 1954, Sink was assigned to the
Joint Airborne Troop Board
at
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
. In early 1955, he was transferred to
Rio de Janeiro
,
Brazil
, and in April 1955 assumed the dual functions of chairman of the United States Delegation to the Joint Brazil-United States Military Commission and chief of army section,
Military Assistance Advisory Group
,
Brazil
.
Sink returned to the United States and assumed command of the
XVIII Airborne Corps
and Fort Bragg in May 1957. In May 1958, he was announced as commander,
Strategic Army Corps
(STRAC),
United States Army
. His last major role was as commander of U.S. forces in
Panama
(CinC, Caribbean Command, Quarry Heights, Canal Zone), a post he held until his retirement in 1961 due to poor health.
[4]
Sink retired in 1961 as a lieutenant general. He died at Fort Bragg in December 1965 of pulmonary
emphysema
[4]
and was interred in
Arlington National Cemetery
. Sink was married and had three children.
Awards and decorations
[
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]
Dates of rank
[
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]
United States Military Academy
cadet
? Class of 1927
Legacy
[
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]
In popular culture
[
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]
References
[
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]
- ^
Cullum, George Washington
(1930). Donaldson, William H. (ed.).
Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. From Its Establishment, in 1802, to 1890
. Vol. VII: 1920?1930. Association of Graduates,
United States Military Academy
. p. 2074
. Retrieved
January 4,
2023
– via Internet Archive.
- ^
"TheHistoryNet ? World War II ? Dick Winters: Reflections on the Band of Brothers, D-Day and Leadership"
. Archived from
the original
on June 20, 2007.
- ^
Winters, Major Dick (2006).
"Beyond Band of Brothers The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters"
. Penguin Random House. p. 58.
ISBN
978-0-425-20813-7
.
- ^
a
b
"Robert Frederick Sink Papers - Collection Guides"
.
- ^
"LTC Robert F. Sink Library"
. Archived from
the original
on March 5, 2012
. Retrieved
May 25,
2012
.
- ^
"The Col. Robert Sink Memorial Trail Historical Marker"
.
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