Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1942 Lucky Bag:

ROBERT WARREN IRWIN

Slack

Basketball 4,3,2,NA; C.P.O.

From Colorado came this robust, likable Westerner to cast his hat into the whirlwind ring of the Academy. After a tussle with Plebe English, Dob settled down to enjoy his first love—sports. Winter finds him haunting the basketball floor—of all sport arenas, his favorite. Diplomacy has contributed to his inherent knack of making friends and keeping them. The crystal ball foretells great things for this Fort Collins lad.

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The Class of 1942 graduated on December 19, 1941, less than two weeks after the United States entered World War II. The class had previously been scheduled to graduate in February 1942.

Loss

Robert was lost when USS Dorado (SS 248) was sunk, possibly by a mine laid by a German submarine near the Panama Canal, on or about October 14, 1943.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Robert was born in Kansas. In 1935, he was a preceptor for the Poudre Valley chapter of the DeMolay.

He graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1936. “Twelve O’Clock and All is Well”. Band 1, 2, 3, 4; Letter 3; Orchestra 1; Football 1, 2, 3, 4; Letter 2, 3, 4; Basketball 1, 2, 3, 4; Letter 2, 3, 4; Capt. 4; All-School Award 3; Junior Play 3; Student Council 3; “D” Club 3, 4; Senior Hi-Y 3, 4; Sec’y 4; Junior Hi-Y 1, 2; Sportsman’s Club 3, 4.

From the Fort Collins Coloradoan, February 25, 1943, Naval Officer Tells of Singing Greeting

When the crew of a U. S. Navy destroyer, of which Lt. Robert Irwin was an officer, landed at a small south Pacific island and the natives immediately launched into song “You are My sunshine,” in the English language, astounding sailors and officers alike.

But when the sailors and officers sought to buy various handiwork of the native women, they learned that the natives must have spent considerable time in practice to perfect the song for just such a visit from Americans. Other than the song the natives know no English. …

[Robert] The Naval officer has bronze and silver stars indicating the six engagements at sea, including both Asiatic and American waters.

“Just say I am having, and have been having a good time,” Lt. Irwin told a reporter.

The day he died, the Fort Collins Coloradoan newspaper reported that Robert’s wife Bonnie and 2-year-old son, Robert Jr., were visiting his parents. Robert’s wife, son and mother had visited with him in Mystic, Connecticut, where he had just finished submarine training and was assigned to the Dorado. He was a submarine communications officer and a veteran of nine major battles, including Midway, the Coral Sea, the Solomons, Guadalcanal and the Aleutians, and had just been promoted to his rank of lieutenant junior grade. He wore Atlantic, Asiatic and Pacific campaign ribbons. On November 16, Robert’s second son Philip James was born in a Denver hospital.

His father Joe was a mercantile merchant; mother Florence was the county superintendent of schools; and his brother was Hugh.

His wife was listed as next of kin.

Robert is remembered at the East Coast Memorial in Manhattan, New York.

Photographs

From The Fort Collins Express Courier on January 5, 1936

From the Lucky Bag