Robert Hampton Cole

Commanding Officer 22nd Infantry

July 5, 1955 - 1956

Robert H. Cole was born in North Dakota on August 13, 1907.

He graduated from the University of Wyoming in June of 1931 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering.

He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Infantry-Reserve on June 8, 1931. He served on active duty
from January 13 to January 26, 1935. He was offered a promotion to 1st Lieutenant Infantry-Reserve on March 27, 1935
which he accepted on April 8, 1935.

He again served on active duty from August 1 to August 14, 1937. He was offered a promotion to Captain Infantry-Reserve
on May 2, 1939, a position which he accepted on May 12 of that year.

On May 6, 1941 he returned to active duty.

Cole was given the temporary promotions, to Major (AUS) on August 20, 1942 and to Lieutenant Colonel (AUS)
on March 31, 1943.

He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel Infantry-Reserve on October 24, 1945.

He was promoted to the temporary rank of Colonel (AUS) on December 22, 1945.

He was relieved from active duty on January 25, 1946 and offered the rank of Captain in the Regular Army
on July 5, 1946, with date of rank back to August 13, 1942, a position which he accepted on July 15, 1946.
On July 18 of that year he was promoted to Colonel Infantry-Reserve.

He graduated from the Command & General Staff College in 1947.

On July 15, 1948 Cole was promoted to Major in the Regular Army.

In 1949 he graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College.

He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, Regular Army on May 15, 1950
and graduated from the Army War College in 1952.

He received a promotion to Colonel in the Regular Army on September 14, 1954.

Cole assumed command of the 22nd Infantry Regiment on July 5, 1955 at Kirch-Göns, Germany.
Sometime in 1956 he relinquished command of the Regiment, most likely on the date the 22nd was
officially returned to the US from Germany. In August 1956 the 5th Infantry Regiment at Fort Lewis, Washington
was reflagged as the 22nd Infantry and this should be the time Cole ended his tenure as the 22nd's Commander.

Robert Hampton Cole retired from the US Army on April 30, 1962 with more than twenty years active duty service.

He received the Silver Star Medal, the Legion of Merit with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Bronze Star Medal.

A photo of a scroll given to COL Robert H. Cole by the officers of the 22nd Infantry
upon the occasion of the end of his tenure as Commander of the Regiment.

Scroll photo courtesy of Richard Vargo, through James May, via Ed Schultz

US 338th Infantry Regiment Officer Cadre, May 1942, Camp Shelby, Mississippi.
Robert H. Cole, as a Captain, is in the back row with the red arrow pointing to him.
This Regiment became the core of the 85th Division, as it formed in 1942
for participation in World War II.

From the website WWIIF

Robert Hampton Cole is buried in Arlington National Cemetery

Section 38 Grave 313-2

Grave marker for Robert H. Cole

Photo from the Arlington National Cemetery website

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