Lt. Col. Robert G. Cole
U.S. Army — World War II
March 19, 1915 – September 18, 1944
Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
Robert G. Cole
A Paratrooper’s War
Lieutenant Colonel Robert G. Cole served with the 101st Airborne Division, one of the most elite units in World War II.
Dropped behind enemy lines on D-Day, his mission was to push inland through heavily defended territory.
The Charge at Carentan
On June 11, 1944, near Carentan, France, his battalion was pinned down by intense German fire.
Movement was impossible.
Casualties were mounting.
Cole made a decision few would make.
Fixed Bayonets
- Ordered his men to fix bayonets
- Led a direct charge across open ground under heavy fire
- Personally ran at the enemy line
- Broke through the German position in brutal close combat
It was one of the most daring bayonet charges of the war.
Final Sacrifice
Cole survived Normandy…
But was later killed in action during Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands.
Decorations & Honors
Medal of Honor • Distinguished Service Cross • Purple Heart
Final Resting Place
Lt. Col. Robert G. Cole rests with honor at Netherlands American Cemetery.
Reflection
When there was no way forward… he created one.
Robert Cole didn’t wait for the fight to change.
He changed it.
mickyspano.com and The Micky Spano Show proudly honor Lieutenant Colonel Robert G. Cole, United States Army, as Veteran of the Day for April 18, 2026.
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