Sergeant Robert Taylor Shields USMC

Robert Taylor Shields was born May 6, 2013 to Mr and Mrs Franklin L Shields of San Bernardino CA. After graduation from San Bernardino HS and attending San Bernardino JC, he enrolled at NMAMC for the ‘37-‘38 school year. On February 16, 1942 he enlisted in the US Marine Corps and was sent to boot camp at San Diego. In October of 1942 he was assigned to the Marine Detachment on the USS Honolulu, a Brooklyn Class Light Cruiser, which was in Mare Island Naval Yard being retrofitted at the time. The USS Honolulu left Mare Island that month and began action in the southwest pacific theater. Her battle record includes Guadalcanal and Bougainville, Battle of Tassafaronga, Battle of Kula Gulf, Battle of Kolombangara, Saipan, Guam, Pelelieu and in October 1944, the Battle of Leyte Gulf. On October 20th, 1944, while engaged in the landings at Leyte in the Philippines, the USS Honolulu was attacked by Japanese aircraft that were able to score a direct hit with an aerial torpedo. Sgt Robert Shields was killed in action at his battle station at 4:00 p.m. from blast concussion. He was buried at sea at 4:40 p.m. on October 21, 1944 at Longitude 125.23.7E Latitude 10.45.3N. The USS Honolulu withdrew under her own power and never returned to combat. Sgt Taylor served in every combat action the ship saw during the 24 months it was in action in the pacific. He is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery. Sgt Robert Shields was 31 years of age at the time of his death.